Ray of Sunshine
by DatHeetJoella
Summary: Haruka thinks life isn't that significant. A certain transfer student might change his mind. MakoHaru AU. Reposted from AO3
1. A Glimpse of his Mind

It was way too early when his alarm went off. Haruka groaned as he pressed his head deeper into his pillow. He contemplated staying in bed all day, but eventually got up anyway.

The floor was cold against his bare feet when he made his way to the bathroom. He undressed, save for one of his many swimsuits, as he waited until his bathtub was about half full with lukewarm water. When he stepped inside, the water immediately embraced him as if it was greeting an old friend. Haruka closed his eyes, sighing in contentment as the water soothed his being.

This was one of the few moments of the day he felt completely at peace. Being in the water made him forget. The water didn't judge him. The water wouldn't leave him. The water couldn't betray him. The water accepted him for who he was. He needed this time in the water every morning to mentally prepare himself for the day.

There was this constant feeling of uneasiness that he felt. He constantly had this tight feeling in his chest, a hollow sensation in his stomach, that didn't go away when he ate. The only parts of his day he looked forward to were times he could bathe and sleep at night. There wasn't much more to him than those moments he sort of enjoyed.

He dreaded going to school. He called in sick a lot, which led to him falling behind and missing a lot of tests. It wasn't as if it was too difficult for him, quite the opposite, he just really hated going there. Spending eight hours of his day in a muffy building, surrounded by a bunch of ignorant teenagers and grumpy teachers who wouldn't stop telling him to pay more attention, even though he had decent grades. And when he finally got home he still had loads of homework. Assignments that didn't make any sense, that weren't usefull in any way and were just a plain waste of time. Time he could be spending submerged in his precious water.

It wasn't as if he had any friends he looked forward to seeing. He never had any. People were too bothersome to get involved with. He preferred being alone. He had been living alone since his grandmother had passed. His parents were never around. They were so-called free spirits. His grandmother had taken care of him since he was little. She was the only one he had ever shared a close bond with. He was a very introverted child, but when she died, it became worse. It was as if she was his lifeline, his connection to the real world. After she left this world, Haruka became a shut-in. He would only leave his house if necessary, for example getting groceries or going to school.

He lived in his own world. He often escaped to the deepest corners of his mind, trying to forget the life he led. His exsistence was meaningless, or so he believed. It's not as if the earth would stop turning if he ceased to breathe. It's not as if he was suicidal or anything, he was simply stating a fact. There just wasn't any point. Today's society did nothing but put pressure on him. Forcing him to attend school, pushing him into getting a job, telling him he should marry a woman and have children. A life of mediocrity. Haruka didn't want any of that. He just wanted to feel the water and forget.

But then again, he was still a minor, his parents still supported him financially and it wasn't as if he could suddenly drop out of school. A time was going to come were he had to fully support himself and you couldn't get a proper job without an education.

Because he barely showed up last year, the school was telling him that maybe he should repeat the year, but he didn't want to and his grades were good enough to advance. He knew that if he stayed at home as much as last year, his teachers would find an excuse to make him repeat this year either way. Haruka just wanted to get out of that place as quickly as possible and not stay a minute longer than necessary.

With that in mind, he lifted himself out of the bathtub and towelled his body dry.

The raven made his way to the kitchen, tying a blue apron with a dolphin on it around his waist. He started preparing two portions of mackerel and rice, one for breakfast and the other for lunch. Maybe this was a part he enjoyed as well, though eating his favourite dish didn't fill the emptiness.

After he ate he made his way upstairs to put on his uniform. He quickly brushed his teeth while draining the tub from the water that was still left from his morning soak.

Haruka grabbed his bag and put on his shoes before leaving his house and started his walk to school.

He walked along the shore, scent of the ocean filling his nostrils. It was only the beginning of May, so he couldn't swim in the ocean yet without risking hypothermia. Nursing himself back to health would be too much of a bother, so for now he accepted his bathtub as substitute. Maybe by the end of June the sea would be warm enough. At least he had something to look forward to.

It was too noisy when he arrived at school. He went to his locker to switch his shoes before leisurely making his way to his classroom.

His seat was all the way in the back, next to the window. The chair next to his was empty. He sat down and immediately faced the window to his left. He hadn't even been here for more than five minutes yet and he already longed for this day to be over. Class hadn't even started yet and and everything was going too slow. He sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

The chattering of his classmates filled his ears. Meaningless conversations held by insignificant people. The other stundents accepted his presence, but in their eyes he was just kind of there. Not that Haruka minded. He actually preferred it this way. He felt as if getting associated with these people wouldn't gain him anything. It would just be troublesome to get involved with them.

He started doodling in his notebook when Amakata-sensei, his homeroom teacher, entered the classroom. The young woman huffed as she put down her bag, turning to her class with a small smile on her face.

''I'm sorry I'm late, class. I had to sort some things out with the administration. Now, before we begin, I have an announcement to make. From this day onwards you'll be joined by a new student!''


	2. The Transfer Student

The door of the classroom slid open and Haruka could hear the footsteps of someone entering. A few girls burst into giggles and looked at each other. Amakata-sensei cleared her throat.

''Please introduce yourself.''

Haruka was still staring out the window absent-mindedly, showing no interest whatsoever in the newcomer.

''Umm.. N-Nice to meet you. My name is Tachibana Makoto. I'm looking forward to being in your class for the remainder of the year!''

As soon as the sound of that voice reached his ears, Haruka turned his head to the front of the classroom. He looked at the transfer student and he felt his blood rushing to his cheeks.

Tachibana Makoto was tall with broad shoulders, but he didn't look intimidating. His hair was olive brown and messy, strands sticking out in eighteen different directions. His eyes were a shade of green Haruka had never seen before, bright like grass that reflected the sunlight. He had a strong jawline, but Haruka couldn't detect a trace of hostility in his face. In fact, his facial features were very handsome. His voice was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard, though it quivered a bit because of his nerves. He had an aura of gentleness that hung around him like a cloak. He was an aesthetically pleasing sight.

An unknown warmth spread through Haruka's chest like a wildfire. He felt as if he couldn't tear his eyes away from Tachibana.

''Thank you, Tachibana-kun. The seat in the back is still empty, so you could sit there if you'd like.''

''Yes, thank you.'' Tachibana responded as he made his way towards his seat. Haruka followed him with his eyes. Tachibana sat down and apparently noticed Haruka's lingering gaze because he turned to him and smiled. Haruka felt as if his heart would stop and quickly broke his stare to look at his table.

He didn't know what overcame him all of a sudden. He was fine just a minute ago! Breathing deeply in and out a few times, he finally calmed down. His heart was probably just adjusting to the fact that from now on he was going to be surrounded by even more people, especially as close as Tachibana who now sat next to him. He was bad in crowds, so that should be it.

''Now, class, shall we begin?''

Haruka stared outside, at some random point in the distance and got lost in his thoughts while Amakata-sensei began her lesson.

* * *

During a between class break the majority of the girls gathered around Tachibana's table.

Haruka tried not to pay too much attention to the squeeling females and made an attempt to finish his doodle from before. One of the girls bumped against his table and Haruka lost control of his hand. The impact caused him to ruin his drawing and he looked up to glare at the culprit.

The girl on the receiving end of Haruka's death glare quickly apologised before going to the other end of Tachibana's desk along with a few of her friends.

''Nanase-kun is so scary!'' They whispered to each other, but Haruka heard it anyway. Good, maybe they would stay away from him now. However, he wasn't aware that Tachibana had been watching.

Haruka tried to tune out the excited girls, but couldn't help that he still heard them bombarding Tachibana with questions. Questions such as:

''Tachibana-kun, where did you live before?''

''Wow, Tachibana-kun, you look so muscular! Do you work out?''

''Why did you transfer here, Tachibana-kun?''

How annoying.

Haruka noticed that the guy was overwhelmed by all the inquiring girls. He was glancing at the other boy from the corner of his eye. Tachibana fumbled with his fingers in a nervous habit while he tried to answer all their questions at once.

''W-Well, I used to live in Tokyo. We moved here because my dad's company transferred him to Iwatobi. I'm sixteen years old, my birthday is November 17, so I'm a scorpio. I have two younger siblings, Ren and Ran, they're twins. They can be very demanding, but they really mean a lot to me. I don't have any pets, but I would like to have a cat, though that's not possible since my little sister is allergic. In my spare time I enjoy swimming, I specialize in backstroke, reading and playing with stray cats. My favourite food is green curry, but I love chocolate very much, aswell..''

''Aww, I love guys who are good with children!''

''I'm a scorpio, as well! We have so much in common!''

''Tachibana-kun, I have a cat, maybe you could come over some time!''

''I'm really good at making green curry!''

Though the girls irritated him, Haruka had an amused look on his face (though people would argue he still had a deadpanned expression) as he watched Tachibana raise his hands in front of his body, as if to prove his innocence.

''Tachibana-kun, do you have a girlfriend?''

''Ehh?!''

''Everybody return to your seats, class is starting!''

The girls made noises of disappointment and wandered back to their respective seats.

Haruka saw that Tachibana's shoulders slumped slightly as he sighed in relief while mumbling a soft ''saved.''

* * *

Lunchtime approached and every minute seemed to pass slower than the previous one. Haruka grabbed his lunchbox and opened it while he heard groups of girls discussing ''the hot transfer student.''

He picked at his food with his chopsticks and tried to tune out the conversations. The discussion topic, however, was nowhere in sight.

Getting annoyed by all the noise that surrounded him, Haruka packed his lunchbox and stood up. The roof would be more quiet, as nobody besides himself actually went there. The fresh air was a plus, as well.

He opened the door to the roof and felt a light breeze. He closed his eyes while the wind softly grazed his body.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed he wasn't alone. Tachibana sat on the ground a few meters away from the door, only now seeing Haruka.

''I'm sorry, Nanase-kun, is this your spot? I can leave if you want.''

''It's fine.'' Haruka responded. And it was fine. It's not like he owned this rooftop.

Haruka sat down beside Tachibana, leaving enough space between them. He resumed eating and waited for either Tachibana to start talking or an awkward silence.

Neither happened. The silence that settled between the boys was comfortable as they both ate their lunches. Haruka was kind of relieved, but he wasn't really used to eating with someone like this. He ate breakfast and dinner alone and during lunchtime he always ate by himself at his seat or occasionally here on the school's roof. Maybe a change was nice for once, and for some reason Tachibana's presence didn't bother him like the other students' would.

The bell rang after a while, telling them that lunchtime was over.

Tachibana got up, offering Haruka a hand to help him up as well. Haruka stared at the hand as if it was something he'd never seen before. He looked at the owner of the hand, as if he was asking for reassurance. Tachibana was smiling down at him. Haruka shrugged and took the offered hand that helped him to his feet. It was bigger and warmer than his own. Tachibana smiled again and tilted his head a little.

''Shall we go?''

''Hmm.''

Together they made their way back to their classroom.


	3. Warmth

Their last period of the day was art. It was Haruka's least hated subject and he was glad that it was the last hour of the day and not something like English, which he detested.

As usual Haruka was facing the window, but he couldn't stop thinking about Tachibana's hand in his, the warmth still lingering in his otherwise cold palm.

The art teacher, a small, balding man, stood in front of his class and waited until it was quiet before he spoke.

''So, class, for your next assignment you'll be working in pairs-''

Haruka didn't hear the rest of what the man said, panic rising in his body. He hated group assignments and anything that forced him to work together with others. He was going to be the last one without somebody and his teacher would be forcing him with people who didn't want to work with him and he would find them annoying and childish and-

His inner turmoil was halted when he heard someone speak to him.

''Nanase-kun, would you like to work together with me?'' He turned his head and saw Tachibana looking at him with questioning, but gentle eyes. Sensing Haruka's distress he quickly continued. ''Ah, you don't have to if you don't want to. You can decline if you-''

''No, I want to.'' Haruka interrupted him with a soft, almost shy voice, avoiding the other's eyes.

''Great!'' Tachibana beamed at him and pushed his table closer to Haruka's.

They started working together when Tachibana spoke. ''Ah, but, I.. I'm not good at art.'' He said embarrassed while scratching at his cheek with his index finger.

''It's okay.'' Haruka thought that it was actually kind of cute. Wait, cute? That's not really something a teenage boy would think about another teenage boy with Tachibana's build. Actually, he never thought about anyone like that. He sometimes overheard the other guys talk about how cute or pretty some random girl was, but he never really understood it. Cute was a word he would use to describe the stray cats he would sometimes encounter when he was walking to school. He thought that waterfalls were pretty. But now he called Tachibana cute. Did he think Tachibana was pretty, too? Pretty wasn't really the correct word, more like.. handsome?

Haruka was pulled out out of his thoughts by Tachibana's next statement.

''Wow, that's beautiful! You're really good at drawing, Nanase-kun!'' He exclaimed while looking at Haruka's paper with big eyes.

Haruka's face flushed and he looked down, trying to hide his face behind his bangs while muttering a soft ''thanks''. He wasn't used to being complimented or praised by anyone, other than occasionally his teachers. He peeked at the other boy from between his bangs and saw that his face held a happy expression. Haruka thought that he could get used to seeing that face every day.

* * *

When school was finally over he shot up and gathered his books, glad that school was over and he could finally leave this prison. He waited a bit until most of the people had left the classroom, not wanting to get caught up in the mess of leaving students, before he made his way to his locker as well, putting on his shoes.

When he walked off the school's property, he heard someone speaking again.

''Do you live in that direction, Nanase-kun?'' Tachibana's question startled him a bit.

''Yes.''

''Oh, me too. Do you want to walk together?''

''Sure.''

They started walking together. Tachibana was filling the silence with small talk. To others it may seem like a one-sided conversation or that Haruka was ignoring him, but Haruka was listening to every word the other said. If anyone else was talking to him like this, he wouldn't bother listening, but for some reason it was different with Tachibana. He really liked the sound of the other's voice, no matter what he was saying. He was used to an empty silence ringing in his ears and he actually loved that he was now surrounded by the sweet sound of Tachibana's voice. He could definitely get used to this.

Though the only responses Haruka gave were short and sometimes just a little hum of agreement, Haruka knew the other knew he was listening attentively and wanted him to continue. So he did.

''Do you live around here, Nanase-kun?'' Tachibana suddenly ceased walking. Lost in the sound of Tachibana's voice, Haruka didn't realise they had already arrived at the stone steps that led to his house.

''Yeah.'' He said and gestured with his eyes to the top of the next stairs. Though the gesture was vague, Haruka knew that Tachibana would understand.

''What a coincidence, my family just moved here!'' Tachibana exclaimed while pointing to the house behind him. Haruka knew that a family just moved in that house, but he hadn't really thought about it or linked Tachibana to the former vacant house.

''So, um, Nanase-kun, would you like to walk to school together tomorrow? Ah, but you don't have to if you prefer going alone or-''

''Okay.'' Tachibana smiled at him brightly and Haruka squinted his eyes a little, as if the other's smile would blind him.

''Haru.'' He murmured softly.

''Hmm?''

''Call me Haru.'' It didn't really sound like a question. Haruka looked at his feet while waiting for a response.

''Okay, Haru. You can call me Makoto, then.'' Haruka blushed when he heard the nickname out of Tachibana's, no, out of Makoto's mouth. His voice made it sound so beautiful.

''Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Haru.'' Makoto said.

''See you tomorrow, Makoto.'' Haruka said with a small voice before running up the stairs.

When he arrived at his house, Haruka shut the door before leaning against it, panting lightly. His heart was beating really fast against his ribs. Maybe running up those stairs wasn't the best idea he had had today.

He longed to being reunited with the water, so he made his way to his bathroom. He undressed for the second time that day, suddenly feeling really hot. He filled the tub with cold water before getting in, completely naked.

He sighed as he felt his heart finally calm down a bit. He thought about everything that had happened today. Maybe school hadn't been that bad this time, with Makoto by his side.

He had this feeling inside his chest that was different from what he usually felt, but he couldn't identify what it meant or where it suddenly came from. It kind of felt like drowning, air slowly being forced out of his lungs, but in a good way. It was as if the constant emptiness had grown a little smaller. He wondered how that happened, though it wasn't an unpleasant developement.

Suddenly a brunet with stunning eyes and a gorgeous smile crossed his mind. Feeling his cheeks getting hot again, he pushed his head into the water, trying to cool down.

And when he went to sleep that night, he was feeling a little happier than he had when he had woken up that morning.


	4. A Little Closer

During the week they grew closer and closer.

When Haruka woke up Tuesday morning, it seemed as if the world was a little brighter. Only now he noticed how many colours there actually were. When he was taking his morning soak, it was as if the water felt even better against his pale skin. When he was eating his mackerel for breakfast, the otherwise tasty fish was even more delicious than usual. When he was getting ready for school, he was feeling less reluctance than he normally would.

He knew something was changing, and even though he usually disliked changes, he felt as if this was a change for the better.

Haruka arrived at the stone steps that seperated their homes and he noticed that Makoto was already there, waiting for him. All of a sudden he felt the unfamiliar yet familiar warmth again. Makoto's droopy eyes always made him look a bit sleepy, but Haruka saw that he was actually still tired right now. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes, trying to rub the sleep away, when he noticed his companion had arrived. Despite his sleepiness, he smiled at Haruka.

''Good morning, Haru.''

''Morning.''

''Did you sleep well last night?'' Makoto asked, sounding genuinely interested.

''Hmm.'' Now that he mentioned it, Haruka realised that he was more rested than he had felt after the previous nights.

They started walking to school, Makoto was telling Haruka how his siblings had woken him up that morning. He was talking a little less enthusiastic than yesterday, but Haruka figured that it was because it was still early and Makoto didn't seem like a morning person. But Haruka still listened to the beautiful voice coated with sleep and he smiled a little as he looked up to the other's face. The upcoming sun made it look like he was glowing and as if he had a halo. Maybe he was actually an angel. Haruka tried to shake away the stupid thoughts that crossed his mind, and luckily the other didn't notice something was off.

* * *

Class was still passing by horribly slow, yet it seemed a little more bearable. Though he had developed the tendency to sneak a glance to his right every once in a while. When he did he saw Makoto actively taking notes. Haruka wasn't really surprised to see that he's the ''good student'' type.

Haruka started sketching a little in the corner of his notebook, trying to distract himself. He wasn't really aware of what he was doing, but when he began to make out fluffy hair, eyes that were a little droopy and a dazzling smile, he quickly flipped to the next page, embarrassment filling his senses. What the hell was he even doing?

Deciding that drawing wasn't really the best thing he could be doing right now, he looked at the front of the classroom, trying to pay attention for once. He actually succeeded in paying attention for a full four minutes before his mind started drifting off again. Must be a new record.

When it was lunchtime, Haruka and Makoto looked at each other in an unspoken agreement and went to the roof together. They sat down against the wall, just like they had yesterday. Makoto took out his lunchbox as Haruka realised he didn't make lunch this morning. It was as if Makoto was reading his mind.

''You don't have lunch, Haru?'' He said, concern lacing his voice.

''Forgot to make it this morning.''

''Oh, but Haru, you have to eat something!'' Makoto scolded.

''It's fine.''

''No, it's not fine! We can share my lunch.'' Haruka wanted to decline, but the look in Makoto's eyes told him that there was no room for an arguement.

''But you'll still be hungry if we share..'' Haruka said in a small voice.

''It's fine! Here.'' Makoto held his chopsticks in front of Haruka's mouth. He closed his lips around the other's chopsticks, allowing Makoto to feed him and he slowly chewed the food, turning his head away to hide the blush that crawled up from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

* * *

Wednesday was an abnormally hot day for the beginning May and on the way home Makoto and Haruka decided to stop by the convenience store for ice cream. They decided on a double soda-flavoured popsicle. Makoto paid and they walked out of the store.

''I'll pay you back.''

''It's okay, you don't have to.'' Makoto smiled down at him as he tore open the wrapper.

''Then it's on me next time.'' Haruka's heart leapt at the thought that there would be a next time.

''Sure.'' Makoto responded as he split the popsicle in half and offered one of the parts to Haruka. Their fingers brushed as Haruka accepted his half and a tingling feeling that started at his fingertips spread through his whole body.

Makoto tilted his head (Haruka had noticed that this was a habit of his tall friend) as he began sucking on his half of their ice cream. Haruka glanced up at him, his gaze fell on the other's lips. His cheeks grew hot in a matter of seconds (they did that very often lately, he wondered why) and he turned his head away, in an attempt to keep himself from staring at the other's mouth wrapped around the light blue treat.

He felt that his own half had started dripping by now and he quickly licked the drops away, trying to stop his hand from getting sticky. He put the popsicle-half in his mouth and sucked on it lightly. It tasted better than any popsicle he had ever had. He really liked the flavour soda and perhaps the fact that he was sharing with Makoto added to the flavour as well.

* * *

As they were saying their goodbyes on Thursday afternoon, Haruka made the decision to pop the question he had wanted to ask all week.

''Do you want to come over tomorrow? To, you know, do homework together..'' He trailed off while looking at the floor between them.

''I'd love to!'' Makoto beamed at him.

Relief washed over him as Haruka allowed himself to smile a little.

As Makoto and Haruka grew closer, the uncomfortable feeling inside of Haruka had grown smaller.


	5. Breakdown

Haruka was lying in his bathtub that afternoon. He was actually really nervous about Makoto coming over tomorrow. He had been so nervous about asking Makoto that he didn't really think about what he should do when the other boy agreed to come over. He was happy that he has accepted his offer, even if it was only to do homework together.

It had been years since anybody but himself (and seldom his parents) had actually been inside his house. Before he didn't really have anyone to invite over. He wondered if he should clean his house. He didn't really know what to do. He had never had a friend over before, should he prepare something? Maybe it was good to have cookies to serve his guest. He had overheard Makoto saying he loves chocolate, so maybe some chocolate chip cookies.

Thinking that this might be a good idea, Haruka got out of the tub and made his way towards the kitchen, leaving a trail of water behind him on the floor.

He checked the cupboards for the ingredients he would need. He still needed to go to the supermarket to get fresh mackerel anyway, so it's not like he's going out of his way or something.

Making a mental note of everything he needed to get, Haruka went to his room to put on some clothes and to pocket his wallet before putting on his shoes and walking out his door.

On his way to the supermarket, he passed Tamura-san, a nice old lady that lived in the neighbourhood. Tamura-san was pretty much the only person who ever greeted Haruka.

''Ah, Haruka-chan, are you going to do some shopping?'' The elder woman asked.

''Yeah.''

''Be careful!''

''I will, Tamura-san. Bye.''

''Bye bye~!'' She waved at him until he was no longer in sight.

Haruka always tried to get shopping for groceries done as fast as possible. He just grabbed everything he needed, though he did always linger with picking out mackerel. He just wanted the freshest and the best mackerel for the lowest price possible.

After getting everything in a fairly short amount of time, he went to pay for everything. Luckily the queue was short and he was outside within minutes, clutching his bags against his chest as he strolled back home.

When he got home, he kicked off his shoes and walked to the kitchen. He put down the bags on the counter and put on his blue apron. He laid out the things he would need and washed his hands. He started making the cookies he hoped his tall friend would enjoy.

* * *

When they were walking to Haruka's house on Friday, their shoulders occasionally bumped together. Every time it happened it was as if Haruka was hit with a taser, little shocks shooting through his body. He wondered what this all was, but the thoughts of someone else in his sanctuary overlapped all of his wonders. But it was going to be fine, it was only Makoto.

Haruka opened his frontdoor and Makoto mumbled a quiet ''excuse me for the intrusion'' before they both took their shoes off.

''Are your parents not home?'' Makoto wondered.

''I live alone.''

''All by yourself? That's pretty impressive, Haru! I can't even fry an egg without setting the kitchen on fire.'' He said whilst rubbing at the nape of his neck. Haruka smiled inwardly since it wasn't hard to imagine Makoto starting a fire at a futile attempt to cook. Makoto continued.

''But doesn't living all by yourself get awfully lonely?''

Haruka froze as he heard the last words roll off Makoto's tongue. The other boy noticed the sudden tension in his friend's body.

''Are you okay, Haru?''

''I'll go get us some tea, so why don't you go ahead. My room is up the stairs, first door to your left.'' Makoto watched as Haruka walked to what he presumed to be the kitchen as he obeyed Haruka's instruction.

Makoto's question kept occupying his mind as he brewed the tea. Loneliness. ''Sadness because one has no friends or company.'' Was he lonely?

He grabbed the plate with the cookies he made the previous night and put them on a tray with two cups of steaming tea before he went upstairs as well.

When he entered his room, he saw Makoto sitting on the floor across his bed.

''I made cookies.'' Haruka announced, hoping his worry wouldn't be heard in his deadpan voice as he put down the tray on the table in front of him. He sat down on the opposite end of the table.

Makoto picked one of the cookies and took a bite out of it.

''These are delicious! You made them?'' Makoto exclaimed.

Makoto's compliment went unnoticed as Haruka was too far in his thoughts to have heard the other. Was this feeling he always had loneliness? This uncomfortable, empty feeling came from isolation? He wasn't fine with being alone?

All the pieces of the puzzle slowly fell in place and Haruka stared at his lap as he felt his eyes burning with tears that had yet to be shed.

Makoto noticed the change in Haruka's being and saw a teardrop fall down the other's downturned face.

''Haru..?''

When he heard the other hiccup, he crawled over to his friend's side, cookies, tea and homework long forgotten.

Haruka's resolve shattered completely as he felt strong arms wrap around his body, he pushed his face in Makoto's chest and he started to cry. He clutched the back of Makoto's shirt as he drenched the front of it. Makoto didn't say anything as Haruka sobbed harshly inside his chest, he just rubbed Haruka's back in a comforting matter.

This was the first time in years he had actually cried, the last time being at his grandmother's funeral. He never really was one to cry, the amount of times it had happened could be counted on one hand. But all of that seemed so long ago, he cried and cried like he had an infinite amount of tears. Makoto stroked through his hair, his big fingers tangling in the strands.

Haruka tried to level his breathing, but it only caused him to hiccup more.

''I-I a-a-always t-thought I was f-f-fine.'' He stuttered, every word sounding more like a broken sob.

''Shh, it's okay. You don't have to say anything.'' Makoto said calmly as he felt Haruka tighten his grip on him.

After what seemed like hours Haruka finally calmed down a bit, though quiet tears still rolled down his face.

''S-Sorry.'' He looked up at Makoto's face. Makoto lifted his hand towards Haruka's face and wiped at his tear-stained cheek with his thumb.

''It's okay. Do you want to talk about it?'' Makoto asked.

Haruka nodded. He noticed Makoto had shifted them so that Makoto's back was against his bed and Haruka leaning against him, half sitting in Makoto's lap. He leaned his head against Makoto's shoulder as he started telling him everything.

About him as a child, about his parents that had forsaken him, about his grandmother, the only one that was ever there for him, about the hollow feeling.

He thought he had never spoken so much at once. During the talk Makoto rubbed his arm and occasionally gave a nod of encouragement, telling him to continue.

When he finished Makoto pressed him against his chest again.

''I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. From now on you're never going to have to feel alone again. I'll make sure of it. Everything will be fine. I'm here for you now.'' He said.

Haruka wanted to return Makoto's embrace, but exhaustion suddenly hit him. He nodded once to show the other he had heard him, before closing his eyes. All the crying had exhausted him and he fell asleep in Makoto's arms.

It felt as if a kiss was pressed against the crown of his head, but it must have been his imagination.


	6. The Features of his Face

When Haruka opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he was still being held by Makoto. He peeked up at the other's face and saw that his eyes were closed and his mouth slightly open, warm puffs of air escaping his lips. He must've fallen asleep shortly after Haruka himself had lost consciousness.

Haruka allowed himself to study Makoto's features once more, his face now directly in front of him instead of meters away. Overall he still looked way too handsome, even in his sleep. He started his further observation at his hair, fluffy brown locks that fell messily across his head. Haruka wondered if it was as soft as it looked. He slowly raised his hand, the tips of his fingers cautiously touching the end of the strands. They were very soft, indeed. He retreated his hand again, carefully as to not wake Makoto up. If Makoto did wake up at this moment, he wouldn't know how to explain himself.

He continued grazing his eyes over Makoto's sleeping face. Next were his eyebrows, that were partly covered by his bangs. They were a little thicker than his own, though not too thick. They fit the rest of his face perfectly. His gaze then fell on Makoto's eyes. The beautiful green orbs were hidden behind heavy eyelids. At the end of the eyelids began long lashes that fell on his cheeks. Haruka noticed his lashes were a shade darker than his hair. His eyes then trailed Makoto's nose. His nose had the perfect shape, not too small, not too big, just right. The tip of his nose curved a little upwards, which looked absolutely adorable. After his nose, Haruka studied his cheeks. His cheekbones were strong, though there was still a little baby fat that had yet to disappear. Makoto already looked pretty mature, but Haruka knew that every childish trace would disappear as soon as the excess fat was gone. Then his attention fell on Makoto's mouth. His parted lips were full and a bit chapped, probably from Makoto biting on them too much. The way his lips were parted looked very inviting. Haruka wondered how they would feel against his thinner one's. Would they be as rough as they looked right now or would they be surprisingly soft? What would they taste like? Would they be as sweet as the rest of him?

Haruka noticed he had been leaning in before he jerked his head back. What the hell was he doing? He almost kissed Makoto in his sleep! He has to pull himself together!

Though Makoto's arms were very comforting around his body, everything felt too tight right now. He needed some fresh air.

He tried to wiggle himself out of Makoto's embrace, but without any effect. Makoto's arms were locked around him in a death grip and no matter how hard he tried to pull away, even in his sleep Makoto's strength was too much for him.

He sighed, there was no other choise but to wake him up. Haruka put his hand on Makoto's shoulder. He could feel how broad an muscular he was through the school's uniform he was still wearing. He shook his head. What the hell was he even thinking? He gently shook Makoto's shoulder in an attempt to wake him up.

''Makoto, Makoto!'' Slowly Makoto's eyes stirred open.

''Nnh, Haru?'' He blinked a few times, then raised one of his hands towards his face to rub at his eyes, that were still heavy with sleep.

''What time is it?'' His voice revealed that he was still drowsy. Haruka looked at the alarm clock that was standing on his nightstand.

''A little past 6 PM.''

''It's that late already? I should probably head home soon, I think my mom expects me for dinner..'' He trailed off as he noticed he was still holding Haruka. A blush crawled on his face.

''Ah, sorry, Haru! I can get very clingy in my sleep, I'm sorry!'' He apologised as he loosened his hold.

''It's fine.'' Haruka said as he turned his face away, feeling his face growing a little warm again. It was actually more than fine. He realised he really loved being held by Makoto, as long as his inhuman strenght wasn't suffocating him. He peeked at Makoto's face from the corner of his eye, seeing he wore a blush that probably matched his own.

They both got up and stretched a bit, falling asleep on the floor whilst leaning against the bed (or his friend, in Haruka's case) wasn't really the best position for a nap. Makoto smiled at Haruka.

''So, are you feeling a bit better?'' Makoto asked, his voice sounding a lot more awake now.

''Yeah... Thank you.'' He replied in a small, shy voice.

''It's okay, you don't have to thank me!'' Makoto looked at Haruka. He tilted his head and smiled again. That smile could make flowers bloom, Haruka thought.

''It's getting pretty late, so should take my leave.''

''I'll show you out.''

After Makoto gathered his stuff, they went downstairs. Makoto put on his shoes while Haruka was leaning against the wall.

''Thanks for having me over. Though we still didn't really get any homework done... Ah, that reminds me! Do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow?'' Makoto was looking at him like he was a big puppy waiting for his master's approval.

''Yes.'' Haruka hoped he didn't sound too eager and excited that he would get to see Makoto tomorrow, even though it would be Saturday.

''Great! I'll text you the time.''

''Okay.''

Makoto opened the front door and stepped outside, Haruka made his way towards the door as well.

''Then, Haru, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight!''

''Hmm, goodnight, Makoto.''

Makoto smiled at him one last time before he started walking away. Haruka kept staring at him until he was no longer in sight. However, before that happened, Makoto turned around once and when he saw Haruka still standing in the opening of his front door, he waved at him. Haruka hesistantly raised his hand and waved back and then Makoto resumed walking until he disappeared into the distance.

Haruka closed his door and he thought his heart would stop.


	7. Confusion and Insecurities

He was kind of sad that Makoto had gone home, because he really liked the presence of his friend, but he was also kind of glad, because he really needed to sort out all these crazy thoughts.

Deciding that he wasn't really hungry and dinner could wait until later, he walked towards his room to pick out some clothes before making his way towards the bathroom. He took off his school uniform, that had wrinkled a bit since he had slept in it, and tossed it in his laudry basket. After the bath was full enough, he got inside and sat down.

This was really the time to think about all these weird thoughts that had been going through his mind. Why did he suddenly have them? He had never had any of these thoughts before. He was never interested in girls (or boys, for that matter), so he has never dated or kissed anybody. But why was it that ever since Makoto moved to Iwatobi all this changed? Now he suddenly wondered what it was like to feel Makoto's lips upon his. It wasn't as if he had ever felt attracted to someone before, so was he attracted to Makoto? He doesn't really know. He's having all these feelings he's never had before, but what were they? Were they mere feelings of friendship? Maybe it was just his hormones. He had never been close to anybody before, so now he is maybe it was just a normal reaction. Despite everything he still was a healthy teenage boy, he supposed. But was it normal to have these attractions towards his friend? Perhaps this was just what friendship was like, and he could be worrying about absolutely nothing. But something inside of him told him that wasn't exactly right. Was it right to want your friend to hold you close? Sure, he had seen people hug before. Hugs could be shared between friends and family, and not just between lovers. So maybe it wasn't that big of a deal.

He sighed a little frustrated. So far he only accomplished to confuse himself even more.

Maybe he was just feeling weird because he had never had a friend before, and Makoto and he had become close in a matter of days. Was it even close? It's not like Haruka had any other friendships he could compare his with. For some reason, he just felt naturally drawn to Makoto.

This really wasn't helping. He closed his eyes and completely submerged himself in the cold water.

Still, he felt pretty embarrassed that he had lost his cool like that in front of Makoto. Luckily he didn't scare the other off, he wouldn't know what he would do if that had happened. He was glad the other had comforted him like he did. He could still feel the strong arms around his torso.

Suddenly his throat felt very tight and he had to break the surface of the water to prevent himself from inhaling water. He was gasping loudly and wondered what this was. The water had never tried to harm him before, so it was clearly his own fault, but he could hold his breath longer than this.

Instead of forgetting and comforting him, his bath now only caused him to become more and more confused. He decided to drain the tub and get out, since it wasn't helping eitherway. Besides, it's already dinner time, so perhaps some mackerel would help brighten his mood.

He groaned when he saw that he had forgotten to grab a towel. He walked to the closet and picked out a plain white one. Trying to dry himself quickly, he missed a few spots and put on his clothes. His pants kind of stuck to his legs on places he had missed, but at this moment Haruka couldn't care less.

All the thinking had given him a headache, so he got some aspirin from his medicine cabinet before going to the kitchen.

He entered the kitchen a grabbed a clean glass. Turning on the faucet he filled the glass with water. Haruka took the pill and knocked down the water in a few big gulps. Even though he still didn't have much of an appetite, he got a piece of mackerel and grilled it.

When he was eating his fish, thoughts continued to roar through his head. Because of that, he couldn't really taste his dinner.

It wasn't that odd, since just a few hours ago he realised that he hadn't been fine for all these years, and it was as if his whole world had come crashing down and reality was tearing apart at the seams.

But he wasn't alone anymore. He didn't have to carry the world upon his shoulders anymore. Makoto was here now, and Makoto had promised him it would be alright. He trusted him, and it was good to know that he wasn't alone, he didn't have to face life alone anymore. Makoto would support him, Makoto could be his rock. The only constant in this new reality.

But what if Makoto thought he would be too clingy? What if Makoto realised he could get better friends than Haruka? Makoto wasn't the water. The water didn't have it's own will, but Makoto did. Would Makoto judge him, if he saw what a petty human Haruka really was? Would Makoto leave him, if he realised that he was so much better than Haruka? Would Makoto betray him, if he noticed how much fun other people were and how popular he could be if he didn't associate himself with Haruka?

No, Haruka didn't want to believe it. Makoto is different. Makoto is special. Makoto isn't as ignorant as all the others are. He believed this. Otherwise Makoto wouldn't invite him over, now he's seen him at his lowest.

Haruka put his plate in the sink, he would do the dishes tomorrow. He went upstairs and got ready for bed. It wasn't that late yet, especially for a Friday night, but Haruka didn't care. If sleep would take him early, he wouldn't have to think anymore.

As he was lying in his bed, a new angst shot through his head. He was going over to Makoto's tomorrow. To Makoto's house. Where Makoto and his family lived. He was going to meet Makoto's parents and siblings tomorrow. He was going to have dinner with them. Haruka knew how important Makoto's family was to him. What if they didn't like him? What if he made a bad impression on them? First impressions are the most lasting, so what if he screwed up?

He actually thought it was kind of funny. He never cared about what others thought about him, and now he was worrying about it.

Now, he didn't doubt that he would like Makoto's family. The people that raised him couldn't be anything but decent, and Makoto always talked about how much he adored his brother and sister and vice versa.

Well, maybe it was pointless to dwell on this. He couldn't chage who he was and Makoto accepted him. Perhaps he was just worrying too much. He would meet them tomorrow and everything would be fine.

He was sure of it, because he had Makoto by his side.


	8. Meeting the Tachifamily

Haruka was standing in front of his closet, still wearing his wet jammers. He had actually gotten out of the bathtub on time for once, but now he was standing in front of his closet for what felt like centuries.

Why couldn't he just pick something? He was just going to have dinner at a friend's house, it's not like he's going on a date or something. He wanted something decent, but casual. He certainly didn't want to overdress or look like he was trying really hard to impress them.

Haruka groaned. What was he, some teenage girl? Normally he couldn't care less about how he looked or what he was wearing. He had left the bath so that he would have enough time to prepare himself, but he had wasted all that time by staring at every piece of clothing he owned.

He really had to decide now, he was expected at Makoto's house in less than ten minutes. Eventually he picked a cobalt blue T-shirt with a pair of black jeans.

After making sure he was ready, he went downstairs and grabbed the plate of cookies he had made Thursday. He decided to give them to Makoto's family as a thanks for inviting him for dinner. He had made them for Makoto, after all, and he wasn't that fond of cookies anyway. He preferred mackerel.

He walked towards Makoto's house after he'd put his shoes on. Makoto's house was not far at all and he reached the front door in less than two minutes.

He was actually getting more nervous than he'd like to admit. His hand was slightly shaking when he reached up to ring the doorbell. But before he had pressed the bell, he suddenly heard a lot of noise from the inside, that startled him. The noises were getting louder and louder until suddenly the door swung open.

''You're Haru-chan, right? Haru looked down to see a little girl with big, bright blue-green eyes staring up at him. Her hair was long, dark olive green and she had two small pigtails. Haruka assumed she was Ran, Makoto's little sister.

But before he could respond he heard the same noise again, and he saw a small boy running towards Ran and him.

''Wait for me, Ran!''

''You're too slow!'' Up close Haruka saw the little boy had short, straight brown hair and brown eyes. Haruka guessed this was the other half of the Tachibana twins.

''Am not!''

''Are too!''

''Am not!''

Haruka stared a little bewildered at the children who were now arguing in front of him.

''Now, now, don't argue in front of our guest.'' The sound of a kind, feminine voice stopped the heated arguement of the siblings.

A woman who looked younger than she probably was stood before him, her hair had the same colour as Ran's. She was fairly short and had a kind smile on her face.

''Are you Haru-kun?'' The woman who was presumably Makoto's mother asked.

''Yes, Nanase Haruka, nice to meet you.'' Haruka answered as he bowed to Mrs Tachibana.

''Now, Haru-kun, no need to be so formal!'' She chuckled.

Haruka took off his shoes and walked towards Mrs Tachibana.

''Here.'' He gave her the plate he brought with him. ''Thank you for having me over.''

''My, you didn't have to bring anything! It's our pleasure having you as our guest.'' She smiled at him, Haruka noticed it was similar to Makoto's. He must have inherited it from his mother.

''Makoto's upstairs, he probably didn't hear you come in. Dinner will be ready in a bit, so why don't you go to Makoto?''

''Okay.''

Haruka started walking the stairs and he realised he wasn't told exactly where Makoto would be. The sound of music reached his ears and he decided to just follow that.

When he stood in front of the door the sound was coming from, he knocked. The sound stopped and he heard a someone speak.

''Come in.''

He opened the door and saw Makoto sitting on his bed. He was holding a guitar.

''Ah, Haru! I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here already. I lost track of time.'' Makoto apologised.

''It's fine.''

''Here, sit down.'' He patted on the space next to him. Haruka sat down and looked at Makoto.

''I didn't know you play guitar.'' Haruka stated.

''Umm, yeah.. But I'm not that good, I'm actually really bad..'' Makoto trailed off.

''Play for me?'' Haruka was surprised it actually sounded like a question, as he intended.

''I'm really bad, so you-'' He protested.

''Makoto.''

''Okay, okay!'' Makoto laughed at Haruka's determination.

Makoto started to play a song Haruka didn't know, but he was even more surprised when Makoto started to sing. It sounded beautiful together with the guitar and Haruka was mesmerized. It was as if the music had enchanted him and he couldn't do anything but listen and watch.

Makoto's eyes were closed and a look of consentration was plastered on his face. Though Haruka hadn't expected this, it actually quite suited him. Haruka already thought Makoto's voice was beautiful, so it shouldn't have been this much of a surprise that he could sing very well, and the guitar was just a really nice bonus.

When Makoto finished, Haruka was a little disappointed it was over, but he would never say that.

''I told you it was bad, you shouldn't have gotten your expectations up.'' Makoto sighed. Haruka shook his head.

''It was beautiful!'' He had already said it before he realised it. He tried to keep a stoic expression on his face, but it wasn't really working.

''Thanks, Haru!'' Makoto's smiled at him and Haruka's heart skipped a beat. They were interrupted when the door swung open and the twins ran inside.

''I was here first so I win!'' Ran cheered.

''No, I was first!'' Ren protested.

''No, me!''

''No, me!''

''Stop fighting! You both got here at the same time.'' Makoto said with a ''big brother'' tone in his voice. Haruka thought he played his part really well.

''Sorry, Onii-chan.'' They said at the same time, turning their faces towards the ground.

''Why did you come barging in like that?''

''Oh, right! Mom says dinner is ready and we had to call you.''

''Alright then. We'll be down in a second.''

''Okay!'' And with that, the twins left. Makoto turned back to him.

''Are you coming, Haru?''

''Hmm.''

When they got downstairs they saw Mr Tachibana standing in the hall. Haruka assumed he had just gotten home from work. Mr Tachibana was tall and had broad shoulders. Haruka supposed Makoto had gotten his build from his father. His hair was short, brown and his brown eyes were partly hidden behind frameless glasses.

''You must be Haru-kun. We've heard a lot about you already!'' Mr Tachibana said.

''Dad!'' Makoto sounded pretty embarrassed. Haruka thought it was kind of cute.

''Nice to meet you, sir.'' Haruka bowed to him just like he had to his wife a little while ago.

''Nice to finally meet you, too!'' Mr Tachibana laughed.

Makoto's embarrassment was growing with the second and though Haruka thought it was adorable, he was kind of glad when they entered the dining room.

The familiar scent of fish hit his nose and when he looked at the table he saw that the meal Mrs Tachibana had prepared consisted mainly of mackerel.

''Makoto told me it was your favourite.'' Mrs Tachibana smiled at him.

''It is, thank you.''

''It's my pleasure!''

They sat down at the table and said their thanks before they started eating.


	9. Mario Kart

It had been years since Haruka had had dinner with his own family, yet dinner with Makoto's family was really different than dinner with his own. Dinner with his own family had always been a quiet affair, but now everybody was chattering with one another. Talking about how everyone's day had been, asking if something excited had happened or just the bickering of Ran and Ren when the former had stolen some of the latter's food.

They all did their best to involve Haruka into the conversation, though it wasn't as if they were forcing him to speak. So he stayed quiet most of the time, commenting when he felt the necessity to and answering a question here and there. They all tried to make him feel comfortable. It made him feel welcome, if not a part of the family.

He wondered if this was how every family was, or if the Tachibanas were special. They were definitely a lot kinder to him than his own parents had been. He was glad that Makoto had such a nice, caring family. Though he had just met them, he could tell they all loved each other immensely.

After dinner Mr and Mrs Tachibana cleared off the table and did the dishes. Haruka had offered to help them, but they waved him off.

''You're the guest, Haru-kun, you don't have to help us!''

''Besides, we don't mind doing it.''

Haruka didn't want to be rude, so he didn't protest. The twins called him and pulled his arm.

''Haru-chan, play with us!'' They yelled.

''Ren, Ran! Don't bother Haru!'' Makoto told them.

''It's okay, I don't mind.'' And he actually didn't mind. Usually he wasn't very fond of children, but for some reason he couldn't say no to the pleading faces of Ren and Ran.

''Yaaay!'' They cheered and they ran upstairs, disappearing from sight.

Makoto looked at him with both an apologising smile and a thankfull look in his eyes. They followed the twins upstairs without another word.

To Haruka's surprise Makoto led him to his own room, but when he opened the door he saw the twins sitting on Makoto's bed, arguing about the game they were going to play.

''You picked the game last time!''

''No, you did so now I get to pick.''

''Why don't we let Haru pick the game?'' Makoto tried to mediate. The twins both agreed.

''Anything's fine.'' Haruka said. Makoto sighed, and Haruka knew it was because he hadn't been very helpfull.

''Then, why don't we play Mario Kart? Everyone likes Mario Kart, right?'' Makoto offered.

''Yeah! Let's play Mario Kart!'' The twins had already forgotten their previous discussion.

''But I get to be Bowser!'' Ren exclaimed.

''I don't want to be Bowser anyway, he's stupid!''

''He is not!'' It was as if his sister's opinion had personally offended him.

''Now, now, that's enough! Let's just play.'' Makoto said after Ran had stuck her tongue out to her brother.

Makoto had started the game and everyone picked their character. Ren had gotten Bowser as he wanted, Ran had chosen Peach and Makoto had picked Toad, because he thought Toad was cute, Haruka found that rather amusing. Haruka honestly didn't care and he picked Luigi. Makoto had set the game on random, because otherwise Ran and Ren would bicker about who would get to pick the next course.

Makoto put on the glasses Haruka didn't know he needed. He had never seen him wear them before and his heart pounded wildy in his chest at the sight before him. They suited him very well and they made him look a different kind of handsome than usually. Haruka couldn't decide what he liked best, Makoto with or without glasses.

''I didn't know you wear glasses.'' Haruka commented.

''Yeah, sometimes. I don't need them all the time, though.''

''Let's just start okay?'' Ran was getting impatient.

''Yes, yes.'' Makoto gave in.

After several races, which included continuously falling off the Rainbow Road, Mrs Tachibana told the twins it was time for their bath. They reluctantly got up and left the room.

''Want to continue?'' Makoto asked.

''Sure.''

They played another few races, occasionally teasing each other by dropping banana peels in front of the other's character and then the twins came back from their bath, both wearing their pajamas.

Both had decided that they had played enough and settled themselves on the teen's laps, Ren on Haruka's and Ran on Makoto's.

''Onii-chan is going to kick Haru-chan's butt!'' Ran said.

''No, Haru-chan is way better than Onii-chan!'' Ren thought.

''Instead of arguing, let's just find out, okay?'' Makoto smirked.

''Oh, it's on!'' Haruka normally didn't care about winning or losing, but now he was determined to show Makoto what he's capable of.

Every single race they played afterwards was easily won by Haruka, much to Ran's annoyance.

''Onii-chan, you're not trying hard enough!'' She complained.

''Yes I am, Haru's just way better than I am!'' Makoto sort of defended himself.

There was a quiet knock on the door. Mrs Tachibana stood in the door opening.

''Ran, Ren, it's way past your bedtime already. It's okay since it's a Saturday, but now it's really time to go to bed. No 'buts'.'' She said.

''Aww..'' They left the room to go brush their teeth in the bathroom.

''Haru-kun, it's pretty late already, so why don't you stay over tonight?'' She smiled at him.

''It's okay, I don't want to bother you.'' Haruka liked the idea of staying over, but he didn't want to impose on them any longer than he already had.

''You're not a bother! We'd be happy to have you stay over. And besides, it's dangerous to go out alone this late at night!''

''Okay then.''

''Great! I'll go air out the futon. Makoto can borrow you some of his clothes and I believe we still have a spare toothbrush!'' She said before she left the room.

Haruka was afraid that he had made Makoto uncomfortable by agreeing to stay over. He turned to Makoto and every fear he had had disappeared. Makoto seemed even more ecstatic than Haruka felt.


	10. Nightmare

Haruka was standing in the Tachibana's bathroom, trying to figure out how the hell their shower worked. Makoto was telling Ran and Ren a bedtime story and Haruka was told that he could bathe first. Not wanting to take his hospitality for granted, he had opted for a quick shower rather than a bath. He had already soaked in his own tub the entire afternoon, so it wasn't that big of a deal that he couldn't submerge himself in his precious element right now.

Why was this shower so different than his own? Shouldn't every shower be the same? It was just a shower, he could figure this thing out. He had been twisting the knobs for minutes now but not a drop of water had come out of the shower head yet.

Haruka sighed. This was exactly why he preferred baths. At least bathtubs weren't as complicated as showers. After a few more turns water came running out of the head, but it was at temperature ''Gates of Hell''. He hissed and jumped back when the hot water hit his back. He turned one of the knobs and cursed under his breath when the water felt like it was imported straight from the North Pole. This was a shower for Christ's sake, this really shouldn't be that hard.

He eventually did figure out how it worked, and within minutes he left the stupid shower with a towel wrapped around his body. He stared at the clothes that Makoto had given him, a yellow and orange T-shirt and some grey shorts. He did have his own underwear, that he had the decency to put on after his bath instead of another pair of jammers.

He put on the T-shirt, that was way too big on his slender frame. It sagged off his shoulder a little. He always knew Makoto is bigger than him, but only now did he realise how big and muscular his friend actually was. The shorts were way too big as well, they slid off of his hips. If the shirt wasn't covering him, his hipbones would've been exposed.

He breathed in and a delicious scent hit his nose. Trying to figure out were it came from, he unconsiously lifted the collar of the shirt up to his nose and inhaled. The smell indeed came from the shirt. It smelled like it had just been washed, but there was something else as well. He had smelled this scent before, but it had never been as strong as it was now. He sniffed at the shirt again and blood rushed towards his face as he realised what the delicious smell was. It was Makoto's scent. He had practically been sniffing at his friend. Embarrassment filled his senses as he tried to calm down his fiercely pounding heart.

He waited until his cheeks had regained their normal colour and his heartbeat had returned to a normal, steady pace before he left the bathroom.

He entered Makoto's room and saw the other sitting on his bed with a book in his hands.

''You can go bathe.'' Haruka said.

''Hmm? Okay.'' Makoto looked up from his book and stared at Haruka.

''What?'' Haruka felt uncomfortable being stared at like this.

''Huh? O-oh, nothing, I.. I just thought you looked cute.'' Makoto's face was covered in a pink flush as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

The blood that had just left his cheeks found it's way back as Haruka blushed profusely. He muttered a small ''idiot'' before Makoto left to go to the bathroom.

Haruka sat down on the bed when he noticed the futon was already on the floor besides Makoto's bed. If he focused on the scent, he could smell it in this entire room. This thought didn't really help the colour of his face.

Forcing himself to breathe normally, he looked around the room. Though this was the third time he had been in this room today, it was the first time he was alone and he took his time to observe Makoto's bedroom. It wasn't as if he had anything else to do anyway.

Makoto's room was smaller than his own, probably since the bigger room was for the twins. There wasn't much furniture inside the room. Just the bed, a desk with a small tv, game console and a computer on top of it, a chair and a small bookshelf. There were two doors visible right now, one that led to the hallway and one that was for his in-wall closet. A green curtain hung from the wall opposite of the door. Haruka figured it covered a door towards the small balcony that could be seen from the outside.

There was a firm knock on the door and it swung open, revealing Makoto with a toothbrush in his mouth. There was a little bit of toothpaste in the corners of his mouth. He looked at Haruka, as if trying to convey the meaning behind his sudden appearance. And somehow, Haruka understood.

He got up and followed Makoto back to the bathroom. Once they were inside Makoto handed him a brand new toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. Haruka started brushing his teeth and looked at Makoto through the mirror that hung above the sink. He got a warm feeling inside his chest. Brushing his teeth together with Makoto like this felt oddly domestic.

After rinsing their mouths they went back to Makoto's room. They had decided to go to sleep right away, since it was already pretty late and the twins would be up early to wake them up as well.

Haruka crawled inside the futon and Makoto turned off the light.

''Are you sure you don't want to sleep in my bed? I could just take the futon for tonight.'' Makoto offered, ever the gentleman.

''I already told you, it's fine!'' Haruka huffed.

''Alright, just making sure.'' Makoto said as he buried himself under the covers of his bed.

''Good night, Haru.''

''Good night.''

It wasn't long until the only sound filling the room was their breathing. Makoto's breathing had evened out and Haruka knew he had fallen asleep already. It was actually really calming, listening to the rhythm of the other's breathing and it didn't take long for Haruka to fall asleep as well.

* * *

Haruka was woken up in the middle of the night by small sounds and wild struggling coming from the other's bed.

He stood up and went over to Makoto's bed. He saw that Makoto was still asleep, a misplaced frown on his face and his forehead glinstering with sweat. He must be having a nightmare, Haruka figured.

He placed his hand on Makoto's shoulder and tried to shake him awake. But no matter how hard he shook the other, Makoto didn't wake up.

''Makoto, Makoto!'' He whispered, but nothing happened.

''Makoto!'' He kept repeating his name, saying it louder every time, and continued shaking him until Makoto's eyes shot open. He was panting harshly and his eyes were brimming with tears.

''Haru?'' He asked confused.

''You were having a nightmare, but you wouldn't wake up.'' Haruka explained while returning the favour of wiping away the stray tear that ran down Makoto's cheek.

''I'm so sorry for waking you up Haru. Especially over something silly like this.'' Makoto laughed cynically at himself.

''It's not silly! You don't have to apologise.'' Haruka defended him while he stepped inside Makoto's bed.

''Haru?'' Makoto questioned him again.

''Make some room.'' He said while crawling next to Makoto under the duvet.

''It's okay now, I'm here. So let's get back to sleep okay?''

''Okay.'' He felt Makoto laying down again.

''Thank you, Haru. Good night.'' Makoto said as he grabbed the hem of Haruka's (well, technically his own) shirt.

''Good night, Makoto.'' He responded as his heart was loudly thumping against his ribcage.


	11. Together

Within minutes Makoto fell asleep again. Haruka, however, was wide awake. His body had no intention of going back to sleep any time soon. His cheeks were hot and his heart beat so hard that he thought it was going to leap out of his chest.

He thought about the boy that was lying beside him. The terrified expression on his face and the way he had said that it was ''silly'', which it was not, made Haruka wonder if he had them more often.

He was definitely learning a lot more about Makoto. The fact that he could play the guitar and sing very well, that he sometimes wore glasses, the nightmares that may or may not be a regular occurrence. He was obviously more happy about some things than about others.

He was going to have to ask about the nightmare tomorrow. He didn't like that Makoto was potentially haunted at night by his own thoughts. Maybe something traumatic had happened that was the cause of the nightly terrors in Makoto's dreams. Perhaps it was just a one time thing and he was worrying about nothing. Everyone had a nightmare every once in a while, right?

Yet something inside of him told him that that was not the case. It was a mere feeling in his gut, but Haruka knew his instincts were usually right.

He was definitely going to discuss this with Makoto in the morning.

Suddenly he felt a muscular arm wrap around his waist, pulling him closer. Haruka remembered Makoto telling him he could get clingy in his sleep. He was certainly not saying that out of embarrassment at the time, Haruka thought.

He turned around to face the other. It was dark in the room, so Haruka couldn't see everything very clearly, but he could make out Makoto's face. The expression on his face was soft, like he was completely at peace. It seemed as if the horrors from before had left Makoto's imagination and Haruka was relieved. Makoto looked like an actual angel right now, even more so than normally, an angel who deserved a peacefull sleep.

Maybe the nightmares were part of the reason why Makoto looked utterly exhausted every morning. He had always told Haruka that the twins woke him up very early every morning, was that a lie? No, he doesn't think that Makoto was lying about this. Makoto is way too honest to casually tell lies. Besides, now that he met Ren and Ran he could believe that they screamed their brother awake on a daily basis. Though, they probably won't do that tomorrow, considering they went to bed late. Children need their sleep, after all.

Either way, he would find out tomorrow.

The arm around his waist suddenly moved and Haruka felt a big, warm hand pressing against his back that made all his thoughts disappear. He could hear his own heart beating loudly inside his chest. Warmth coming from Makoto's hand spread throughout his whole being and he thought about how close he was to Makoto. He didn't know what this was. He didn't know why this was happening. All he knew was how right this felt. Sharing a bed with Makoto, feeling his arm around him, everything felt just so right and he craved more. So he gave in to his desire and scooted even closer to Makoto.

This was everything he never knew he needed. He felt things that he never knew he was capable of feeling, even if he didn't know it's meaning. This warmth, the warm puffs of air hitting his black locks through Makoto's parted lips, the feeling of another human's body, specifically Makoto's, holding him close, the fragrance of Makoto filling his nostrils. All these things he never knew the comfort of, yet it all meant so much to him already. He didn't know if this was wrong, but how could something that felt so right possibly be wrong?

Haruka lifted his hand and placed it softly against Makoto's chest. Through the layer of thick muscles he could feel the steady beating of a strong heart. His own heart calmed down slightly and it was as if was trying to monopolise the rhythmic beating of Makoto's.

Slowly Haruka felt himself drifting off to sleep, listening to the calm breathing of Makoto and feeling the beating of his heart against his palm.

* * *

When Haruka woke up that morning, Makoto was already awake. He was staring at Haruka as if he was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon. When he noticed the other was awake, he smiled.

''Good morning, Haru.'' Haruka looked at him and saw that Makoto looked a lot more rested than usually. He didn't have any bags under his eyes and he sounded a lot more awake.

''Morning.''

''Thanks for last night, but I'm still really sorry that I woke you.''

''I already told you it's fine,'' Haruka said and he decided to cut to the chase immediately. ''Do you often have nightmares?''

Makoto saw that Haruka wasn't going to accept any flimsy excuses and he sighed.

''I do. Pretty much every night, to be precise.'' He sounded as if he was very disappointed in himself. ''But, it's no big deal!''

Haruka felt as if Makoto was trying to convince himself more than him.

''Makoto, it's okay. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.'' Haruka said calmly.

''I guess you're right.'' Makoto replied.

''Did something happen?'' He inquired, his voice full of worry.

''No, not really. I've been having nightmares for as long as I remember, though it didn't used to be this frequent. At first it was just every once in a while, but it wasn't anything worth of worry yet. A lot of kids have nightmares, you know, some more than others, but it's nothing abnormal. We kind of figured it would eventually go away, that I would outgrow it like children grew out of imaginary friends. Only it didn't. It seemed as if the older I got, the more often I would get the bad dreams. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and it would take hours to go back to sleep. And even then, there are times that the nightmares return. Sometimes I can't wake up and I'm exhausted in the morning. It's been a while since I actually slept as well as I did last night. After you woke me up, of course.'' Makoto told him.

Haruka thought it was awfull that Makoto had to go through this every single night. He wanted to help him, but he didn't know how. Makoto had slept well last night, so perhaps it was that Haruka's presence had soothed him and lulled him to sleep. If this was the case, then Haruka couldn't be happier. If Makoto was his rock, then maybe he could be Makoto's. They could get through this together.

''It's okay now, Makoto. I'm here for you and we're going to get through this together.''


	12. Thinking

After having breakfast with the Tachibanas Haruka went home. Ren and Ran had begged him to stay and play with them more. They only let him go when he promised them that he would come over again very soon and that they would play then.

He was lying in his bathtub now, procrastinating. He still had loads of homework he needed to do, but homework was pretty much the last thing he wanted to do right now. He had hoped that doing his homework together with Makoto would make it more bearable if not even more enjoyable, hence why he invited him over last Friday. Okay, maybe that was only part of the reason, but whatever. The point was that he still needed to do everything since the only thing he accomplished last Friday was crying in Makoto's arms. Makoto...

For the past week his mind has been occupied by his new friend. They only met each other last Monday, yet it felt as if they had known each other for all their lives. He felt so familiar, so comfortable with Makoto. It was as if Makoto had been the missing piece in the puzzle that was Nanase Haruka.

Haruka's life had changed so much this past week. The nagging feeling of emptiness had grown smaller and smaller, it was still there, but it was more of a noise in the background than an ever present pain. He blushed a lot lately, which was something that had never happened before. He even smiled more, something that he didn't know he was capable of. The permanent scowl that used to sit on his face had softened. He felt so many things he had never experienced before, and it was all because of one person. Not just any person, mind you, but Tachibana Makoto.

Tachibana Makoto, a boy that seemed way too big for his kind and softspoken personality. A boy with the strength of an animal, yet wouldn't even hurt a fly. A boy with the kindest green eyes and the smile that could make flowers bloom. A boy who is terrorised by his own mind at night. Haruka could go on for hours about Tachibana Makoto, even if he doesn't really know why. What he did know was that Tachibana Makoto is special, and that he was very lucky to be able to call him his friend.

* * *

Over the weeks Haruka and Makoto had become even closer, almost inseparable. The unknown feelings had grown stronger and stronger every single second Haruka spent with Makoto.

He was lying on his bed on a Friday afternoon and it was as if he couldn't stop thinking about Makoto. Every thought that went to his head was related to his brunet friend some way or another. Along with the unknown feelings, unknown desires had made their way into his mind. The desire to feel Makoto's strong arms wrap around him, rest his face against his chest. He wanted to feel Makoto's lips pressing against his. He wanted to feel the muscles of Makoto's back flex under his fingertips. He wanted to tangle his fingers through the thick brown locks of his hair. He wanted a lot of things, things he hadn't even considered before he met Makoto.

He has overheard girls talking about the guys they like, and it came close to what he thought about Makoto. Though his affection was deeper and more honest than just ''he's so hot!'' or other things he heard the girls talk about. Not that he didn't think Makoto was hot, because he was, Haruka wasn't going to argue that. But did that mean that he liked Makoto?

This really got Haruka thinking. Was he gay? He had never really thought about sexuality, it simply didn't matter to him, but now it made him wonder.

Was he attracted to girls? Did he want to hold them? Kiss them? The answer was no. He did not. He simply didn't care about them in ways other teenage boys seemed to do. Girls were just plain annoying in his opinion.

But then, was he attracted to boys? Did he want to hold another guy? Kiss another guy? Conveniently, the answer to this question was no as well. Other boys didn't do anything for him either. Besides Makoto, that is.

He was attracted to Makoto, at least, he thinks so. He wanted Makoto to hold him close. He wanted Makoto to kiss him. What kind of sexuality is that? Mako-sexual?

Haruka snorted at that thought. That sounded absolutely ridiculous. Well, he may not know what this sexuality is, but he actually couldn't really give a damn. He didn't need to establish himself as straight or gay or whatever. He never cared about sexuality before, so why should he start caring now? Because regardless of sexuality, in the end of the day he was still Nanase Haruka, and that was all that matters.

But what about Makoto? Did he feel attracted to girls? He had seen countless of girls trying to flirt with Makoto, but he had just been oblivious the whole time. Was it that he didn't notice that the girls were practically fighting for his attention or was he just not interested in them and did he pretend not to notice? Was Makoto interested in boys instead? There had been plently of guys who had asked him to hang out with them after class, but Makoto had always politely declined in favour of hanging out with Haruka. He had never heard Makoto talk about anyone he liked, like other people their age were talking about as if it was the most crucial thing in life. Had Makoto dated anyone before he came to Iwatobi? For some reason that thought really hurt him, stabbed him right in his chest. How would he even know, this was something he never discussed with Makoto. If Makoto was straight, then Haruka would just have to give up and hope these feelings would go away. If Makoto was gay, would there be a chance that he liked Haruka? If Makoto didn't know like him, would there still be the possibility that he returned Haruka's feelings?

Haruka didn't know. For now, all he knew was that he had a crush on his best friend. Though crush didn't really sound right. It didn't really capture everything that he felt.

Haruka was in love with Makoto.


	13. Dreams

Haruka was sitting on a bed that wasn't his own, in a room that didn't belong to him. He looked around and studied his surroundings. He recognised this place, he had been here before. This was Makoto's room.

''Haru.'' He looked up to see Makoto standing in front of him. That wasn't that weird, considering this is his room. Makoto sat down next to him and placed his hand on Haruka's thigh. Warmth spread through his whole body.

''M-Mako-'' Haruka was cut off as Makoto's lips pressed against his. He didn't know what was going on, but he definitely wasn't complaining.

He wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck as he felt himself being pushed down. He was lying on his back and Makoto hovered over him. Makoto's tongue licked Haruka's lips, in an attempt to deepen the kiss. Haruka parted his lips, granting entrance as his tongue touched Makoto's. It was hotter and wetter than anything he had ever experienced and he whined a little into the kiss.

Makoto's hands explored Haruka's body, fingers roaming over his toned abdomen. Haruka tangled his hands in Makoto's hair, fingertips massaging his scalp. Makoto broke the kiss, but there wasn't much time for Haruka to feel disappointed before he felt Makoto's sweet lips against his neck. Makoto kissed, licked, sucked and it was driving Haruka insane. Heat pooled in his lower abdomen as Makoto's mouth continued grazing Haruka's soft skin. Haruka moaned in a mixture of pleasure and pain when Makoto bit down on his collarbone.

His heart was pounding faster and faster. His face was flushed and his body felt hotter than ever. He needed more, more friction, more touching, more being touched, more Makoto.

Haruka's pants were getting too tight and he jerked his hips in an attempt to get more friction.

Makoto's mouth left Haruka's skin as he pulled off his shirt, exposing his muscular chest. Haruka lifted his hands to run them over Makoto's torso, but Makoto caught his wrists and pinned them to the mattress above Haruka's head. Haruka made a little noise of annoyance when Makoto shook his head. Makoto leaned down and his hot breath fanned over his ear. A shiver of pleasure ran down his spine at the hot air ghosting over his sensetive skin. Makoto licked his ear and sucked on his earlobe, causing Haruka to lose control over his voice and he moaned.

''Aahh, Makoto!''

Makoto's voice was low and raw, turning Haruka on even more as he whispered. ''Haru.''

* * *

Haruka woke up panting and feeling hot all over. His pants were wet and stuck to his body. He lifted the covers and confirmed his suspicions. Fuck.

He sighed and walked to his closet to get a pair of jammers before going to the bathroom. He took off his clothes and threw them in the laundry basket, except for his boxers, which he washed in the sink to rid them of his come. He was actually glad he had worn regular underwear instead of his jammers for once.

After washing his boxers and throwing them to join the rest of his laundry, he quickly showered to clean himself from the come that had dried on his skin before sitting down in his bathtub, not wanting to pollute the water.

He sighed again as the water cooled his overheated body. It wasn't the first time he had had a wet dream, but it was the first time it involved someone other than himself. Never before had everything been so clear, felt so real. It was also the first time he remembered it so well and it had felt so good. He could still feel Makoto's lips moving against his, tongue sliding against his, hands all over his body. He still remembered the low tone of Makoto's voice, murmuring softly in his ear.

''Shit.'' Haruka mumbled as he felt himself grow hard at the memory of his dream.

To hell with it, he thought as he began stroking his half-hard cock. He didn't masturbate often, just every once in a while to relieve his body to prevent awkward incidents involving surprise boners. He never really thought about anything, he just focused on the sensation and he wanted to get over with it quickly. He never looked at porn or thought about such things, unlike other boys his age. Those things just didn't do anything for him.

But now it was completely different. He thought about Makoto, his hands on his body, lips against his. What would Makoto's hands feel like on his dick? His hands are bigger than Haruka's, so he could hold more of his dick than Haruka can. He moaned as he imagined Makoto's hand stroking him instead of his own.

''Nngh, Makoto!'' Haruka closed his eyes.

His movements were slowed down by the water and he ceased his stroking to thumb at his slit, precum leaking out the tip only to be dissolved in the water immediately.

What would Makoto think about when he touches himself? Would he use his left or his right hand? Where would he be? In the shower? In his bed? Haruka groaned loudly at the thought, since he had been in both places. It excited him and turned him on even more. Thoughts of Makoto jerking off while lying in his bed crossed his mind and Haruka lifted the back of his hand towards his mouth, trying to stop himself from making more sound.

Makoto is bigger than Haruka in general, so his cock is probably bigger than his own, heavier than his own. What would it feel like? Similar to his own? What would it be like to hold it? What would it be like to wrap his lips around it, suck it until Makoto's release slides down his throat and cum and saliva dribbles down his chin?

Haruka's stroking became faster and more erratic as he felt himself getting closer and closer to the edge. He looked down at his shaft, imagining Makoto's lips around him, sucking him dry, taking all of him until his nose was buried in Haruka's pubic hair and his cock was hitting the back of Makoto's throat.

That was all it took to push Haruka over the edge and he came harder than he ever had. He was panting slightly as he came down from his high. He now understood why everybody seemed to think about someone or watch porn or something, since he hadn't ever felt this good.

Guilt suddenly washed over him as he thought about the fact that he had just jerked off to his best friend. He had used Makoto. And the knowledge that he had to meet Makoto in about twenty minutes to walk to school together didn't really help either.


	14. Jealousy

After draining the tub and taking a shower again, Haruka quickly made his lunch before getting ready for school. Thanks to the second shower he had to take he didn't have time to make and eat breakfast. So far his day was going great.

He walked outside his house and didn't bother locking his door. Arriving at the stone steps he saw that Makoto was already here. The tall boy sat on one of the steps and he was petting one of the stray cats that always wandered around the neighbourhood. Haruka walked down the stairs, but Makoto hadn't noticed his presence yet.

''Makoto.''

''Ah, Haru! Good morning.'' Makoto smiled at him as he got up. At the sight of the other's face images he tried very hard to suppress resurfaced and Haruka blushed a deep shade of red.

Makoto saw this, of course, and he seemed very worried.

''Haru! Your face is so red! You don't have a fever, do you?'' Makoto said as he placed his hand on Haruka's forehead.

The contact of Makoto's hand on his skin only made his flush worse and the thoughts he had had over this hand less than 30 minutes ago didn't make it any better.

''I'm fine!'' Haruka responded and he swatted the hand away. Though he normally longed to touch the other as much as possible, he couldn't really use this right now.

''If you say so.'' Makoto sighed but his voice was laced with disbelief.

They started walking to school together and Makoto was talking excitedly about the stray cat he had just encountered.

''He was so friendly, Haru! And his tiny paws were so cute! Did you see him? He was so adorable!'' He exclaimed happily.

Haruka just listened with a soft expression on his face, focusing on Makoto's voice to prevent his mind from wandering off in an unwanted direction.

When they walked through the school's gates, a group of girls that may or may not be classmates of them looked at them, or more specifically Makoto, and started gossiping among themselves.

A pang of annoyance shot through his stomach and he quickened his pace, causing Makoto to unconsiously fasten his to match Haruka's again. Makoto seemed oblivious of the fact that he was the conversation topic of some teenage girls and he continued chattering about cute animals.

* * *

During a between class break, Makoto had left the classroom to go to the restroom and Haruka was left alone. The girls from before (now confirmed as classmates) were gathered around one of their tables and Haruka could hear everything they were saying.

''You should just go for it Kaori-chan!''

''But what if he says no! Tachibana-kun is so nice and handsome, he could do so much better than me!'' Kaori said.

Haruka's ears perked up at Makoto's name and he was now paying attention to them.

''Nonsense! You're really cute so of course Tachibana-kun wouldn't say no!''

''But I have no idea of how to confess to him! I don't even have the courage! Besides, I don't even know if he is already seeing someone! What if he already has someone he likes?''

Annoyance mixed with something he couldn't identify pooled in his being as the girls continued their conversation.

''I know! Why don't we ask Nanase-kun? He always hangs out with Tachibana-kun, so he should know!''

His annoyance made place for anger as he heard his name and saw the girls coming towards him.

''Hey, Nanase-kun! Do you know if Tachibana-kun is seeing someone or if he has someone he likes?''

Haruka looked up at the outgoing girl that had spoken to him and gave her a hatefull glare.

''If you're planning on confessing to him then don't bother! He's not interested!'' He spat at them, the tone of his voice sounding like pure venom.

''Oh yeah? We'll see about that!'' The girl, Haruka thinks her name is Sonohara or something, huffed and she turned to walk away with the other girls following her.

''See! I told you it was a bad idea!'' Kaori muttered disappointedly.

''Don't listen to that jerk! I don't even understand why Tachibana-kun is friends with such an asshole when he could do so much better!'' Sonohara said this extra loud to make sure Haruka had heard her.

And he had. It kind of felt like she was pouring salt into an open wound. Not that her insults had hurt him, he couldn't care less about what some random bitch thought of him. He was hurt because he had already wondered why Makoto even hung out with him. Because he knew that Makoto could do so much better than him.

''Look, there he is! Ask him if you can talk to him during lunchtime.'' Sonohara said as she pushed Kaori towards Makoto who was walking to his seat.

''Fighto!'' She said as she left Makoto and Kaori alone.

''Ayame-san?'' Makoto questioned the girl that stood before him.

''T-T-Tachibana-kun, could I-I s-speak with y-you at l-lunchtime?'' She stuttered as she stared at the ground, avoiding Makoto's eyes.

''Hmm? Sure.'' Makoto smiled at her and Haruka felt his stomach turn.

The girl returned to her group of friends and they all high-fived each other. Haruka frowned so hard that he gave himself a headache. Makoto noticed this and turned to him with a questioning gaze.

''Haru?''

''It's nothing.'' He responded and faced away from the other.

* * *

When the bell rang, Haruka got up immediately.

''Haru, why don't you go ahead and I'll be right there.'' Makoto's voice was a bit apologetic.

''Fine.'' Haruka huffed and went to the roof by himself.

He sat down in his usual spot and unpacked his lunch. He was quite hungry since he had skipped breakfast that morning, but he didn't really eat. He picked at his food while he thought about the confession that Makoto was getting right now. Why was he taking so long? What if Makoto was interested and accepted the girl's feelings? Then he would have a ''cute'' girlfriend and he wouldn't need Haruka anymore. He knew that Makoto wouldn't forget about him if he got into a relationship, but he didn't know if he could handle seeing Makoto with someone else. The thought alone already broke him. He wants to continue being Makoto's friend, but could he bear it?

The door went open and Makoto joined Haruka on the roof.

''What did she want?'' He asked even though he already knew.

''Ah, she confessed to me.'' Makoto replied awkwardly while he rubbed at the nape of his neck in embarrassment.

''What did you say?'' Haruka tried to keep his voice steady.

''I declined, of course!'' Makoto said quickly and Haruka sighed in relief.

''I told her I that I already have someone dear to me. Someone special.''

Haruka felt his heart shatter.


	15. Forgetting

Haruka clenched his jaw tightly, trying to keep his face as expressionless as possible. He didn't want to show Makoto how hurt he was, because then Makoto would find out he's in love with him. Haruka didn't want him to know since the other obviously didn't reciprocate his feelings. What if Makoto found out and was disgusted with him? He didn't want that to happen, so he should keep his face straight.

Makoto either didn't notice the tension that had crept in Haruka's body or he chose to ignore it.

They quietly ate their lunches until it was time to go back to class.

When Haruka entered the classroom the group of girls were gathered around Kaori's seat. They turned to him and glared at him, as if he was the reason Makoto had rejected their friend, who was now softly crying. Haruka didn't pay attention to them, he was too caught up in his own misery.

He sat down and he sighed. He didn't even feel like crying, he only felt numb. He had to forget about his feelings for Makoto, that's the only option he had. All Makoto needed to do was confess to the person he liked. There was no way in hell that anybody would reject him. Makoto's kind, caring, nice, handsome.. in his eyes Makoto has it all. You would need to be a massive idiot to reject someone as perfect as Tachibana Makoto. He's sure that's not just his feelings talking.

Haruka looked at Makoto via the window. How was he going to forget about him? He couldn't just distance himself from Makoto. That would hurt much more than his broken heart does, and he's pretty sure that would hurt Makoto aswell. He didn't want to hurt Makoto, he couldn't intentionally cause him pain. In the end, Makoto's happiness mattered the most to him. And if that meant staying by Makoto's side and forgetting about his own feelings, then that's a sacrifice he's willing to make. Not because he thinks his feelings are meaningless or anything, the opposite. He loves Makoto so much that he couldn't bear losing him, even if he has to stay in the background of Makoto's life. Just his presence can be enough. He wants to have a place in Makoto's heart, even if it kills him.

He's not sure if these feelings will go away quickly. He's not sure if these feelings will ever go away. Heck, he's not even sure that he wants them to go away. These feelings bring him happiness just as much as they hurt. He wants to keep loving Makoto, because it makes him feel meaningfull. For the first time in his life he feels worthy, as if his existence serves a purpose. Makoto has given him so much, it would be greedy of him to expect more. He has to stop being so ungratefull and enjoy everything Makoto has offered him. He could pull this off. For Makoto.

* * *

Makoto and Haruka were walking home together, Makoto filling up the emptiness with small talk.

This was pretty much the first time Haruka wasn't listening to what he was saying. He was staring at the ocean as his resolve from before slowly started to crumble. Could he really give these feelings up? What if he was the one Makoto likes? Stop it, that's ridiculous. Why the hell would Makoto like him? He's not anything special. He's just Haruka. A crazy, lonely mackerel-loving waterfreak. Makoto could have anyone he wanted. He was just stupid to even consider the possibility of Makoto liking him like that. He should stop getting his hopes up.

He was pulled out if his thoughts when Makoto suddenly stopped walking, halting Haruka by putting his arm in front of him.

''What?'' He sounded a little more annoyed than he intended.

''Haru, did you hear that?''

''No, I didn't hear any-'' He was cut off by a tiny ''meow''.

''It sounds like a kitten.'' Makoto listened closely and followed the sound. ''Oh no!''

''What?'' Haruka asked again and followed after Makoto.

Before Makoto he saw a tiny white kitten. It was very thin and one of it's rear legs was covered in blood. It was crying softly and Makoto looked as if the sight and sound had broken his heart.

''It's injured! It probably can't walk because of that paw. We have to help it, Haru!'' Makoto's voice was laced with concern.

''We'll bring it to my place. Try to pick it up if it lets you. But be carefull, it can be aggressive since it's in pain.'' Haruka said calmly.

Makoto nodded and slowly extended his hand towards the kitten. He let it sniff his finger and when it licked him Makoto petted it's head softly.

''It's okay, sweetheart. We're going to help you. It's okay now.'' He said with a soft, soothing voice as he picked up the small cat, carefull as to not touch the injured leg.

Haruka smiled a little at the sight before him. Makoto speaking to the kitten, trying to calm him down just looked absolutely adorable.

Makoto now carried the tiny cat in his arms, making sure not to hold it too tight or too loose. The kitten was smaller than Makoto's hand, and it looked even smaller in Makoto's arms, his big body dwarfing the animal.

They walked towards Haruka's house.

When they got there Haruka slid the door open.

''Haru! You have to lock your door if you leave the house!'' Makoto scolded him.

''It's fine.''

''No, it's not f-'' Makoto was interrupted by a tiny yelp of their little companion. ''I'm sorry we ignored you, little one. We're going to get you all better!''

They entered the house and Haruka went to get the first aid kit. Makoto and the kitten sat down at the table.

After cleaning the kitten's wound and wrapping a bandage around the leg, Haruka went to grill some mackerel for it and Makoto was petting it.

''It's so cute! I wish I could keep it. Too bad Ran's allergic.'' Makoto sighed.

Haruka put the plate with grilled mackerel on the floor and Makoto put the kitten in front of it. The underfed kitten began to eat it's meal hungrily.

Makoto looked at the kitten with a sad smile on his face. A smile that didn't belong there.

''It probably couldn't feed itself because of it's wound.'' Haruka said.

''What are we gonna do with it? We can't just leave it alone. But I can't keep it either.'' Makoto whined.

''I'll take it.''

''What.. Really?'' Makoto asked excitedly.

''Hmm.''

''Haru! Thank you so much!'' He exclaimed as he captured Haruka in a bone crushing hug that made Haruka's heart beat faster.


	16. Mashiro

Being held by Makoto like this reminded Haruka of being underwater. He felt safe, comforted and peacefull. It felt like home. The water slowly forced all the air out of his lungs until he had to resurface. Makoto was kind of doing the exact same thing right now.

In the water he always fought until his lungs were screaming for air and he was forced to breathe. Now, too, did he strech it as long as possible, until he was starting to feel a little light headed by the lack of oxygen in his brain.

''Makoto.. I can't b-breathe!''

''Waah! Sorry, Haru!'' Makoto yelped as he quickly released Haruka.

''So, what are you going to name it?'' Makoto asked.

''Mackerel.'' Haruka replied, Makoto couldn't detect a hint of joke in his voice.

''Haru! You can't name it ''Mackerel''!'' Makoto whined.

''Why not?''

''You can't name it after a fish, Haru!''

''Then how am I supposed to call it?''

''Well, we don't even know if it's a boy or a girl.'' Makoto said thoughtfully.

''Right.'' Haruka picked the feline up and looked at its genitals.

''Haru!'' Makoto was embarrassed by Haruka's bold way of finding out.

''How else am I going to figure it out?'' Haruka questioned.

''I.. I don't know.''

''She's female.'' He stated as he put the kitten down between Makoto and himself. Makoto started petting the nameless cat and talked to it.

''Iwatobi-chan.'' Haruka suddenly said.

Makoto looked at him sceptically.

''Haru, no.'' Haruka huffed and looked away.

''Why don't you name her, then?'' He pouted.

''Eh, me? Uhm, let's see.. Her fur is all white, so what about Yuki?'' Makoto proposed.

Haruka frowned at that. ''Absolutely not.'' Calling a white cat ''Yuki'' is really too cliché.

''Then, what about Mashiro?''

''Meow~!''

''See, she likes it!'' Haruka contemplated this. "Mashiro'' is still pretty cliché, but the cat seemed to like it.. and so did Makoto. Besides, it's not like he could come up with a better name.

''Okay, Mashiro it is.''

''Yay!'' Makoto picked the newly named pet up. He held her close to his face and she licked his nose.

''Ahw, you're so cute!'' He rubbed his cheek against Mashiro's tiny head, who started to purr loudly. He laughed heartily at the little fluffy creature. Haruka watched the endearing scene before him with a soft smile painting his face.

''Either way, I'll have to take her to a vet tomorrow and I'll have to buy a litter box and such, do you want to come along?'' Haruka asked.

Makoto looked up at him and beamed.

''I'd love to!''

''Okay, so tomorrow around 1 PM?''

''Sure.'' Makoto smiled in a way that made butterflies roam through Haruka's stomach. He tried to compose himself when Makoto stood up and set Mashiro down on the floor.

''I better head home now, I promised the twins to play with them before dinner.''

''Okay.'' It sounded a little more disappointed than he hoped it would.

They walked towards the front door, Mashiro hobbling after them until Haruka picked her up.

''I'll see you tomorrow, then.'' Makoto said to Haruka as he petted Mashiro's head one last time.

''See you tomorrow.''

''Good night.'' Makoto stepped outside and began walking home.

''Bye.'' Mashiro started meowing really loud, as if she didn't want him to leave.

Haruka closed the door and went back to the living room. He laid down on the floor and put Mashiro on his belly.

''You really like him, huh?'' He said to the ball of fur on top of him.

''Meow!''

''Me too,'' He sighed, ''if only he liked me back.''

Mashiro mewled at him, as if she wanted to tell him that that was indeed the case but Haruka didn't catch her meaning.

Though he now knew for sure he couldn't suddenly forget about his feelings for Makoto.

* * *

They went to the pet store the next day. It was Haruka's intention to shop like he always did, fast and efficient. However, it seemed as if Makoto had an entire different plan. He dragged Haruka through the store and pointed excitedly at every single animal he saw.

''Haru, look at it's cute ears!'' He commented when they were standing in front of a cage that held a rabbit with particulary large ears.

''It's little nose is so adorable!'' He exclaimed at a guinea pig.

''Look at those tiny paws. They're so cute!'' He pointed at a few hamsters.

Haruka just smiled and let himself be dragged along, enjoying the endearing sight. Makoto looked like he was in his own personal heaven and Haruka thought it was absolutely adorable.

When Makoto had seen every animal the store possessed, they went to look at the things they actually needed. They picked out a litter box, a scratching pole for the sake of Haruka's furniture, a cat bed and several other things such as toys and treats.

Haruka paid for everything and they left the store. They made sure that the bigger stuff would be delivered to Haruka's house, since despite Makoto's beastlike strength, they couldn't carry everything all the way to the house.

Before they went home, they made a detour towards the supermarket. Haruka still needed cat food, which was way cheaper here than at a pet store, and he could always refill the cabinets, since he was outside anyway. Besides, one can never have enough mackerel, right?

When they finished shopping for groceries, they made their way home together. Both of their hands were filled with several plastic bags, from both the pet store and the supermarket. Makoto was chattering enthusiastically about the adorable little pets he had encountered.

The sun was slowly disappearing behind the horizon, the sky a soft orange hue. The ocean was calm, waves gently lapping at the shore. Besides the sea only the sound of Makoto's beautiful voice was present. The ambiance was perfect.

Haruka suddenly ceased walking, clenching his fists around the plastic bags and he stared at the ground as he spoke.

''Makoto.''

Makoto turned around at the sound of his name.

''Haru?'' He asked as he took a step forwards, now standing directly in front of Haruka.

Haruka was overwhelmed by his feelings and he blurted out the next statement.

''I love you.''


	17. It Was Always You

''I love you.''

His voice had been very soft and shy. Haruka looked at Makoto and he realised what he had just confessed when he saw an expression of absolute shock on his face.

''Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Please pretend like I never said that, forget it. Forget that that ever happened, I-!'' He averted his eyes and he stammered on until he heard plastic bags hit the sidewalk and he was pushed into a broad, muscular chest, arms wrapping around his body. It was now his turn to be utterly surprised and Haruka's eyes widened.

''M-Makoto?'' Makoto pulled back just enough so he could look at Haruka without releasing him. Makoto's eyes were brimming with tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks, which only made Haruka more anxious.

''Makoto?'' He asked again, guilt and concern evident in his voice.

''Sorry, I'm just so happy!'' Makoto flashed him a smile that was so euphoric that it filled Haruka with warmth.

''Huh?''

''I love you, too, Haru!'' Makoto said and tightened his grip on Haruka.

Haruka's jaw dropped and he unclenched his fists, causing him to lose his grip on the bags, which made them hit the pavement.

''But.. but.. you already have someone.. someone special...'' Haruka was at loss for words and he muttered the first things that came to mind.

''Haru, don't you get it? It's you!'' Haruka looked up to stare into Makoto's eyes, that shone with pure love and admiration.

''What?'' At this point he was just really confused. Makoto loved him?

''It's you,'' Makoto repeated, ''it has always been you! From the very first moment I saw you, it was you.''

Makoto raised his hand and caressed Haruka's cheek with the back of his fingers.

''I love you, Haruka. So much.'' Makoto said softly and Haruka blushed at the usage of his first name.

''Makoto!'' He exclaimed and pressed his face in Makoto's chest, returning his embrace. They continued to hold each other for what felt like hours before Makoto pulled back a little. He brushed some of the dark strands of hair behind Haruka's ear.

''Haru?''

''Hmm?''

''Can I.. Can I kiss you?'' Makoto asked shyly.

Haruka muttered a small ''idiot'' before standing up on the tips of his toes, closing his eyes and capturing Makoto's lips in a kiss. Makoto froze for a second before pressing back. The kiss was soft, sweet, clumsy and inexperienced, but it was even better than Haruka could've possibly imagined. It was perfect. He wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck and Makoto's hands settled on his waist. They moved their lips against each other until they were both out of breath and forced to part.

Haruka slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Makoto and his heart swelled with happiness. Makoto's lips were red and a little swollen and Haruka was pretty sure his were in the same state. Makoto smiled at him as if he was the luckiest man in the world, but Haruka was pretty sure it's him.

It had been only a few weeks ago that they had met, but it felt like a lifetime. Makoto's arrival in Iwatobi had swept him off of his feet and turned his world upside down. Makoto had filled up the emptiness in his life and the ugly feeling he always had now seemed nothing more than an unpleasant memory. It was in the past, and he was going to make sure he never felt like that again. Heck, with Makoto by his side he was sure hecouldn't feel like that anymore.

Makoto leaned down a little and pressed a kiss against Haruka's forehead.

''I'm so happy!'' He sighed against Haruka's bangs.

''Me too.'' Haruka said and he rested his head against Makoto's shoulder.

They held each other until the sun had almost completely disappeared behind the sea.

Haruka reluctantly released Makoto.

''Shall we go home? We still have to take someone to the vet.''

''Yeah.'' Makoto responded, his voice making it clear that he was on cloud nine.

They leaned down to pick up the discarded plastic bags and held them in one of their hands. Their other hands automatically found each other and their fingers entwined. Haruka's heart was beating faster than ever and he wondered if Makoto could feel it.

They walked to Haruka's house, holding hands the whole way, occasionally caressing the back of the other's hand with their thumbs.

When Haruka opened the front door, they heard Mashiro stumbling towards them. She was meowing loudly and when she saw Makoto she fastened her pace, causing her to trip over her own paws.

''We're back.'' Haruka announced and he let go of Makoto's hand in order to take his shoes off. Makoto followed Haruka's lead and he put down the bags.

Mashiro smelled the treats and mackerel and she poked her head into one of the bags. She leaned in too far and fell inside. Haruka saw this and sighed.

''Mashiro, no!'' He said as he lifted the cat out of the plastic bag. He picked up the bags and carried them and the kitten towards the living room. He put down the bags on the table and Mashiro on the floor.

''Want anything?'' He asked Makoto.

Makoto sat down next to the kitten and replied. ''I'll have what you're having.''

''I'm going to grill mackerel.''

''I kind of expected that.'' Makoto laughed.

''Can you set the table?''

''Sure.'' Makoto stood up and made his way towards the kitchen.

They were eating together, sneaking a glance at the other from time to time and blushing when their eyes met. Makoto broke the comfortable silence.

''So, this might be a silly question, but I have to know for sure. Are we going out now? As in dating?'' He asked nervously.

Haruka smiled at that.

''Do you want us to?'' He asked with a teasing tone.

''Yes.'' Makoto answered, the word sounding more like a quiet sigh.

Haruka reached out and took one of Makoto's hands in his, placing his thin fingers between Makoto's thicker ones. Their hands fit together perfectly, as if they were made just to hold the other.

''Then yes, we are dating.'' He concluded.

Makoto smiled from ear to ear as he lifted their hands towards his face, pressing a kiss against Haruka's knuckles and he whispered. ''I love you.''


	18. The Waiting Room

When they finished eating dinner they did the dishes together. Haruka washed because then he would be able to feel the water, and Makoto honestly didn't care either way. He would dry every single day if it made Haruka happy.

After they finished, they got ready to take Mashiro to the vet. They didn't have the cat travel box yet, it still needed to be delivered along with the other stuff. Instead, Makoto carried her. Haruka was confident Mashiro would let herself be carried by Makoto without struggle, and if by a miracle that wasn't the case, she couldn't walk off far with her hurt paw. Besides, he didn't really have an other option anyway. So it was going to be fine.

They put on their shoes and Makoto picked up the kitten. She meowed with satisfaction as Makoto's big, warm hands wrapped around her tiny body and she nudged her head against his palm.

''Shall we go, Haru?'' Makoto asked and he held out his hand, helping Haruka to his feet.

''Un.''

They left Haruka's house, Makoto scolding him that he should lock his door because it's late and leaving it open is dangerous, Haru! so Haruka did, even if only to humor his boyfriend. Boyfriend. Haruka still couldn't believe Makoto was actually his boyfriend now. Everytime that fact crossed his mind he felt heat rising towards his cheeks. He felt warm and complete now. It was as if he had found the missing half to his whole. He never felt half before, but he knew that he had never felt this complete, this whole before. It may sound silly, but it really was like Makoto was his other half.

Haruka sighed in contentment. He looked at Makoto, who was walking next to him, Mashiro gently held against his chest. He still carried her with both hands, afraid that he would drop her in his clumsiness, Haruka guessed.

As he saw his boyfriend holding his cat, he felt extremely delighted. His parents may have left him, but now it was as if he had a little family of his own. Just Makoto, him and Mashiro. And that was really all he needed.

Though Makoto always smiled, he seemed extra ecstatic right now. His smile was so wide Haruka was sure it should hurt and he had a gleam in his eye that was brighter than Haruka had ever seen.

Makoto noticed Haruka's lingering gaze and smiled down at him.

''It's great, isn't?'' He spoke, ''It's almost as if we're a family.'' He was now literally voicing Haruka's thoughts and Haruka wondered how Makoto always seemed to know what was on his mind. How Makoto could read him like an open book. How Makoto managed to say the things Haruka wanted to say, but never could.

Perhaps that was just how deep their connection really was.

* * *

They entered the waiting room of the vet. The only vet in Iwatobi sometimes worked in the evening, because there were always people who had a job or had to go to school during the day and their pets still needed to get check-ups. Haruka walked to the front desk and Makoto plopped down into one of the chairs, Mashiro sitting in his lap.

Since Mashiro was a stray and she obviously had never been to the vet before, Haruka had to work everything out with the receptionist.

Makoto was petting Mashiro, seemingly more nervous about the visit than the kitten herself. Over the course of the weeks Haruka had learned that Makoto was scared of a lot of things and now he could also include doctor's appointments, even if Makoto himself wasn't the patient.

Haruka looked at him and smiled a little before he finished sortering all the documents and papers out.

Across the room sat a girl that was about their age, staring intently at Makoto.

When Haruka saw her, a pang of jealousy mixed with something else shot through his stomach. He glared at her, but she didn't notice Haruka's presence at all, too focused on the handsome brunet in front of her. Haruka huffed. Who the hell did she think she is, staring at Makoto like that? Makoto was his now, and he couldn't really appreciate other people ogling at what was his.

Makoto didn't notice her gaze at all, too engrossed in petting the soft, white fur of the little cat, whispering little reassurances to her that seemed to be more comforting to himself than the clueless kitten in his lap.

Haruka scowled at the girl and quickly made his way towards Makoto, sitting down in the chair next to his. But appearantly, that wasn't enough to convey his hidden message so he boldly took Makoto's hand in his, his eyes screaming 'mine'.

Luckily, this was enough for the girl to understand that she needed to back off and she turned her head away.

Makoto, who was still oblivious to what had just happened, smiled at him, though there was a flash of worry in his eyes. Haruka caught this, of course, and gently squeezed his hand, his look saying 'everything will be fine'. Makoto nodded and squeezed back.

They still needed to wait a little while, since there were a few people before them. There was an elder lady with three travel boxes, all of them containing almost identical looking cats. Then there was a middle-aged man and a little girl, who Haruka presumed to be his daughter, that held a box on her lap. Haruka could see the tips of ears poking out above the box, so he guessed it was a rabbit. On the opposite of the room sat a man that looked like he was in his mid-twenties. On the ground in front of him sat a large dog, Haruka didn't know what breed the dog was, he didn't recognise it. The man looked at his and Makoto's intertwined hands and shot them a disapproving look.

That was actually the first time Haruka realised that what he and Makoto had wasn't ''normal''. A relationship between two people of the same gender wasn't really socially accepted and it had never crossed Haruka's mind that there were a lot of people that didn't respect their love, that found their love disgusting. He didn't understand what the big deal was. If two people love each other, then that's nobody else's business, regardless of their gender. Male or female, did it even really matter? Haruka thought that it didn't. Not just because he himself was in a same-sex relationship, even before he realised his feelings, he thought that it was ridiculous that a lot of people were opposed to this. If two people were happy together, then that was all that mattered, and it was nobody else's concern.

Luckily, Haruka didn't give a shit about what some random stranger thought of him. So he continued staring back at the man, never once letting go of Makoto's hand, until the man felt uncomfortable and looked away. Haruka glanced at Makoto. He was afraid that Makoto had noticed the man's disapprove, since even if it didn't bother Haruka, he was pretty sure it would've hurt Makoto. And that was something Haruka couldn't accept. Nobody has the right to hurt his Makoto, and especially not some homophobic jerk. But Makoto was still too caught up in calming the cat (and himself), to Haruka's relief.

The only other person in the room was the girl that had been ogling Makoto. In her lap was a small rat-dog, it's ears bigger than it's head. It's owner left them alone now, showing them she got their message.

After a while they were the only people left in the room, until they were called by the vet.


	19. At the Vet's

''Next, please.'' The vet called to them.

The vet was a woman around her thirties. The smile she wore gave Haruka a bit of an uncomfortable feeling, as if she had an ulterior motive. What, Haruka didn't know, but he had already decided that he would not like this person.

Yet, he didn't have any other option but to be nice to her, considering she was the only vet in Iwatobi.

Makoto jumped a little at the sound of her voice and Haruka thought it was because the moment of truth was finally here.

They got up and walked towards the door the woman stood in front of. When she looked at Makoto, her eyes scanning his body, Haruka detected something unfamiliar in her brown orbs. The feelings he had had before with the rat-dog girl resurfaced and his eyebrows settled into a frown.

''Is this our new patient?'' She asked Makoto, her voice an octave higher than when she had spoken to them before.

''Yeah.'' Makoto responded as he put Mashiro on the examination table.

''So, I heard that you boys rescued this little stray. How kind of you!'' She said in a way that bothered Haruka to no extend.

''Um.. Yeah,'' Makoto said awkwardly, ''her rear leg was injured when we found her, so maybe you could take a look at that?''

''But, of course!'' She responded as she started unwrapping the bandage around Mashiro's leg. She inspected the wound on the kitten's paw. ''Hmm, looks like she got stuck behind something. It's not that deep and it's all clean, so it's not that big of a deal. I wouldn't wrap it up again, so the wound will heal properly on it's own.''

Makoto let out a breath, obviously relieved that Mashiro didn't need stitches.

''Okay, what about the rest? Is she healthy?'' Haruka asked, irritantion clear in his voice.

The woman was taken aback by Haruka's rude tone and she smiled really fake.

''I'll examinate her further now.'' She announced.

She observed the feline on the table. ''Besides the paw she doesn't have any visible injuries, though she is a bit thin,'' she started, ''I'll have to draw some blood, to be sure she doesn't have any illness, former stray and all. I think she's about ten weeks old, so she will need to have her vaccinations, too.''

Makoto visibly flinched at the mentions of a blood sample and injections. When the vet grabbed a needle that was attached to a little plastic tube, Makoto took a step back, half standing behind his boyfriend now. Appearantly, Makoto was afraid of needles as well, whether they injected him or someone else. Haruka found it kind of endearing.

The vet took Mashiro's other rear leg, the one that wasn't injured, and even before the needle touched her leg, she started squealing loudly, as if she was experiencing excruciating pain.

Makoto whimpered and looked away, muttering an almost inaudible ''poor baby''.

Haruka knew she was exaggerating, since it couldn't possibly hurt that much, but Makoto was feeling really sorry for the little drama queen.

''Now, now, it's not that bad! We're almost done!'' The woman said to the kitten.

She slowly pulled the needle out of Mashiro's paw. ''You will be informed of the results in a few days.'' She told them as she walked away to put the tube aside and filled another needle.

She came back and when Mashiro spotted the needle, she started squirming, trying to get away. Haruka gently held her in place, while the vet vaccinated her.

After another few small check-ups, they walked outside of the room, the vet coming with them. They had been the last clients and now she was trying to make small talk with Makoto, though it was more a horrible attempt to flirt with him, while Haruka was paying at the counter.

''So, how old are you?'' She asked with a seducing tone. Haruka could hear what she was saying and his being filled with rage. Before he never got angry, everything just didn't matter to him. But lately, he felt fury whenever someone even looked at Makoto for too long. He wasn't upset with Makoto, of course. Makoto couldn't help that he was so attractive. No, he was mad with people who thought themselves worthy enough of staring at Makoto. Admiring Makoto was a privilege, a privilege he had gotten just a few hours ago, yet he felt like it had always been his.

''Umm, s-sixteen.'' The fact that she made Makoto uncomfortable fueled his rage even further. Makoto wasn't blind, so of course he would feel uncomfortable with her shameless flirting. That, and probably the fact that she had hurt his sweetheart made him a bit upset.

''Ahw, that's a shame.'' The vet sighed disappointedly. She obviously wasn't pleased that she had just tried to seduce a minor, even if that minor was really hot.

''E-Excuse me?!'' Makoto sputtered.

''Makoto, let's go.'' Haruka interrupted their awkward conversation.

Makoto's mood visibly lightened when he saw Haruka coming towards them. A smile of fondness displayed on his face when he looked at his boyfriend.

''Oh, so that's how it is.'' The vet observed, her tone sounding a bit teasing.

''What?'' Makoto didn't understand.

''Yes, it is,'' Haruka confirmed, ''Makoto, let's go,'' He said again.

''Ah, thank you for your service!'' Makoto thanked her and bowed quickly before following Haruka outside.

They began walking towards Haruka's house and Makoto let out a big sigh.

''Well, luckily she's alright.''

''Hmm.'' Haruka hummed in agreement, though he was still visibly pouting.

Makoto smiled at him. ''You don't like her, do you?''

''No,'' He huffed.

''Hopefully, Mashiro will never get sick, then we would only have to go for vaccinations. If you want to, I can take her next time.''

The thought of leaving Makoto alone with that woman left a foul taste in his mouth. He shook his head.

''I'll go with her. You were even more terrified than Mashiro, so you don't have to come next time, if you don't want to.''

''I want to! I mean, I feel like I need to be there for her.'' Haruka smiled at his boyfriends softspoken nature.

''Okay.''

It was dark outside, the only light coming from the streetlights and the moon. The day had gone by pretty quickly. He didn't want to part from Makoto yet. He wanted to spend more time with him, the desire now even bigger than normally.

Their shoulders brushed and Haruka decided to just ask.

''Makoto?''

''Yes?''

''Do you want to stay over tonight?''

Makoto blinked before tilting his head a little and he smiled.

''Of course!''


	20. Staying Over

When they arrived at Haruka's house, Makoto called his mother to let her know he was staying over. Makoto had stayed over at Haruka's multiple times before, so he didn't need to go to his house to fetch the things he would need. He had kept a set of spare clothes over for occasions such as these. Luckily, since he probably couldn't fit into his boyfriend's clothes without stretching or ripping the fabric.

Haruka had given him the permission to take a bath first. Haruka himself was now sitting on the floor, playing with Mashiro. He made sure not to overexert her, considering her paw was still not fully healed.

It was actually funny how little things that happened could change everything. Usually around this time he would be sulking in his bathtub trying to convince his bitter self that everything was just too much effort and that nothing concerned him. Now he was playing with his kitten while waiting for his best friend turned boyfriend to finish taking a shower.

He petted the little fluffy head of Mashiro as he heard footsteps coming towards him.

''Haru, the bath's free.'' Makoto announced as he walked in the room. A towel was slung around his neck and his brown hair was still damp. Haruka observed his boyfriend, his eyes drinking the beautiful sight in front of him. His breath caught in his throat when he saw glistering drops of water slide down Makoto's neck before disappearing behind his shirt.

Haruka quickly got up, trying to hide the blush that was burning on the tips of his ears. He mumbled something like ''be right back'' before storming towards his bathroom.

He took off his clothes, including his jammers, and stepped inside his shower. Though he craved being inside the water, the desire to be with Makoto as much as possible was bigger. He could always soak in his tub, but Makoto was here with him now, and he wanted to enjoy every second of it. That's why, for now, he chose for a shower rather than taking a bath.

Turning on the tap, cold water escaped the shower head and ran down his body. He had hoped the cold water would calm his fiercely pounding heart and cool his blazing cheeks. He took a few deep breaths, then he grabbed a bottle of shampoo and started washing his hair.

He was actually a little nervous. Sure, he had been alone like this with Makoto before, but now their feelings were out in the open, he couldn't help but feel like this.

He wondered if things would change between Makoto and him now they were together. Besides being lovers now, surely they could continue being best friends as well, right?

Of course he wanted some things to change. Things like kissing, hugging, cuddling, eventually touching...

His face heated again at the thoughts of more intimate and sexual touching, and he quickly tried to shake those thoughts away. They hadn't been together for more than a couple of hours yet, so it was way too early to be thinking about these kind of things. Things like that take time and he was sure Makoto and him would gradually get there, at their own pace.

But all the other stuff, Haruka didn't think those would change. They had been very close before, and he believed that everything would remain the same, just with some added bonuses.

After washing his body he got out of the shower and quickly dried himself, though his hair was still wet when he put on his clothes.

He left the bathroom and made his way downstairs, where Makoto was now cuddling with the white feline. He sat down next to him.

''Welcome back.'' Makoto murmured.

''Thanks.'' Haruka said as Makoto looked up.

''Haru, your hair is still wet!'' He remarked.

''It's fine.'' Too much effort.

''No, it's not fine! You have to dry your hair properly else you'll catch a cold!'' Makoto gently scolded him.

''Really, it's fine.'' Haruka defended.

''Here, let me help.'' Makoto grabbed the towel that hung around his neck and dropped it on top of Haruka's head.

''Makoto, what are you-'' He was cut off by big hands that were softy drying his hair with the towel. Makoto was kneeling behind him as he massaged Haruka's scalp with his fingertips.

Haruka let out a sigh of contentment. Makoto's hands felt really good as they were drying his damp, black locks and he leaned into Makoto's touch.

Despite the size of his hands, Makoto's touches were all gentle. Haruka wished this little moment could last forever.

Perhaps Makoto had noticed Haruka was enjoying this a lot, because Haruka thought his hair was dry already, yet Makoto continued tenderly rubbing his head.

After a while, Makoto's hands stopped moving. He took the towel off of Haruka's head.

''There, all done.'' Makoto said as he kissed the top of Haruka's head sweetly.

Haruka's cheeks heated a little when he felt Makoto's lips on the crown of his head. He muttered a small ''thanks'' as he tried to regain his composure.

When he looked at Makoto the other just smiled at him, which made the corners of his own mouth turn upwards a little.

''Do you want to go upstairs and watch a movie?'' Haruka wanted to know.

Makoto nodded and responded. ''Sure.''

Giving Mashiro a final pat on the head, Makoto stood up, pulling Haruka along with him. Haruka picked up the previously discarded towel and walked towards the stairs, Makoto following closely behind.

Haruka walked to the bathroom to throw the towel with the rest of the laundry before joining Makoto in his room.

Makoto was sitting on his bed when Haruka entered and Haruka grabbed his laptop. He set it down next to Makoto, turned it on and plugged in the charger, so it wouldn't bother them during the movie.

Haruka turned off the lights and sat down on his bed, snaking his way around Makoto and settled against the headboard, now sitting between Makoto and the wall. He pulled the laptop in his lap while Makoto rested his back against the headboard as well, their shoulders brushing together.

''What movie do you want to watch?'' Haruka asked.

''You can pick. I don't mind as long as it's not scary.'' Makoto shivered a bit at the thought of a horror movie with lots of blood and screaming.

''Okay.'' Haruka shrugged and picked a random title.

He put down the laptop at the end of his bed. He leaned back and they both watched as the movie started.


	21. First Night Together

Ten minutes into the movie and Haruka had already lost interest. He didn't care for bad American action movies with cars and guns and stuff.

Haruka turned his head to look at Makoto, who didn't look very amused either, but he was still trying to watch it.

Though the room was dark and the only light came from Haruka's laptop, he could still see Makoto clearly. He'd rather keep staring at Makoto for the next hour and a half than watch the rest of the garbage that was playing on the screen.

Haruka decided that he'd rather do something entirely else. He made up his mind, casually leaned in towards Makoto and rested his head on top of Makoto's shoulder.

Almost immediately a strong arm wrapped around him, pulling him closer. He looked up at Makoto's face, who smiled at him before placing a kiss on his temple.

Haruka wanted more. He wanted to feel those lips. He wanted to kiss those lips. He tilted his head a little and captured those lips in a soft kiss. Makoto responded right away, applying a gentle pressure.

Haruka's arms wrapped around Makoto's shoulders, his fingers tangling in the brown strands at the nape of his neck. Makoto's arms snaked around his waist, his hands settling at the small of Haruka's back.

The kiss started off slowly, their lips softly moving against each other. As they continued kissing, their confidence and courage grew. They were both inexperienced, but they would figure this out together.

Haruka parted his lips and licked at Makoto's mouth, asking for permission. Makoto granted him entrance and his tongue found Haruka's.

The feeling of Makoto's hot, wet tongue sliding against his sent shivers of pleasure down his spine and Haruka needed to be closer to him.

He crawled on top of Makoto's legs, sat down in his lap and pushed his chest against Makoto's.

He explored Makoto's mouth with his tongue, licking at the roof of his mouth and their tongues entwined. Makoto closed his lips around Haruka's tongue and sucked softly, causing Haruka to moan a little into the kiss. Haruka's hands were now roaming over Makoto's broad back, feeling the muscles flex underneath his fingertips.

They briefly parted, trying to regain their breath. Haruka was glad he could hold his breath for so long, else they would have been forced to part sooner.

Makoto raised his hand towards Haruka's face and gently sweeped his thumb across Haruka's bottom lip. He leaned forwards, kissing the corner of his boyfriend's mouth. He moved his lips a little, capturing Haruka's bottom lip between his.

Makoto sucked on his lip before gently biting down, which made Haruka whimper. Makoto's hand rested on Haruka's cheek, pulling him in even closer. Haruka angled his face to deepen the kiss. As their tongues resumed to explore the other, Makoto moaned lowly, the sound coming from deep within his chest. Haruka rather liked the sound and he wanted to hear it again.

They continued making out until their lungs gave out and when they broke apart they were panting harshly, a thread of saliva connecting their swollen lips. Haruka rested his forehead against Makoto's, staring into the sea of endless green of Makoto's eyes.

During their exchange Haruka had gotten really hot, yet the last thing he wanted to do was release Makoto.

He gave his boyfriend a quick peck on his lips before burying his face in the crook of the other's neck. Haruka breathed in, the delicious scent of Makoto filling his nostrils.

They laid there together for a while, just cuddling and enjoying the other's presence. Makoto was rubbing Haruka's back in a steady pace, a comforting matter. It was soothing him, gently lulling him to sleep.

Haruka had always been more of a morning person. He never stayed up late and it was past his usual bedtime. It wasn't that late yet, but today had been very eventful and exhausting, even if it was positive, he was tired.

Makoto ceased his caressing as he noticed Haruka's body started to become heavier with sleep.

''Haru, are you tired?'' He asked, his voice a low whisper, as to not disturb Haruka.

''Mm.''

''Come, we still need to go brush our teeth.''

''Nhh.. don't want to.''

''Do you want me to carry you?'' Makoto felt Haruka's head move slowly in an attempt to nod.

''Okay then.'' He said as he placed his feet on the floor. He stood up, lifting Haruka's smaller frame easily. Haruka's arms tightened around his shoulders and he wrapped his legs around Makoto's waist, clinging to him. Makoto carried him to the bathroom effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing more than Mashiro.

Arriving at the bathroom, Makoto put Haruka down on the edge of the bathtub and handed him his toothbrush. Haruka began to lazily brush his teeth. He was tired, sure, but he could've walked here himself. However, he wasn't going to turn down Makoto's sweet offer and he had enjoyed being carried here.

When they were done Makoto picked Haruka up again. Haruka had actually intended to walk back himself, but he certainly wasn't complaining.

Back in Haruka's room, Makoto put Haruka down on the bed. He removed Haruka's laptop, setting it down on the desk in the corner of the room before turning it off and closing it.

Haruka had crawled under the duvet, half asleep already when Makoto walked back to him.

Makoto leaned down and placed a kiss on Haruka's cheek.

''Good night, Haru.'' He murmured as he turned to walk off.

Haruka snatched his wrist quicker than he thought he was capable of in his sleepy state.

''Where are you going?'' He asked drowsily.

''I'm going to get the futon.'' Makoto responded.

''No..'' Haruka objected.

''What?'' Makoto didn't really understand.

''Sleep here.. with me.'' Haruka wasn't ready to let Makoto leave his side yet.

''O-Okay.'' Makoto said as he wondered if he had been stupid.

He lifted the duvet a little and joined Haruka under the covers. He laid down and Haruka placed his head on his chest, his arm draping over Makoto's waist. Makoto smiled a little.

''Good night, Haru.'' He muttered as he wrapped his arms around Haruka's upper body.

''Mmh, night.'' Haruka replied before falling asleep, listening to the steady beating of Makoto's heart.

It took a while before Makoto fell asleep as well. Yet, there was no other place he'd rather be than right here, holding his sleeping boyfriend.


	22. Enjoying

When Haruka opened his eyes that morning, the first thing he saw was Makoto.

The first rays of sunshine were entering the room through a gap between the curtains, falling on Makoto's face.

Their positions had shifted during the night. They were lying side by side, facing each other. Their legs were tangled, Makoto's right arm was draped over Haruka's waist and one of Haruka's hands held on to Makoto's shirt.

A pang of happiness shot through his chest. Waking up and seeing the face of his still sleeping lover before him filled Haruka with joy. He had heard that waking up next to the person you love was supposedly the best feeling in the world, but he had always brushed it off as a terrible romantic cliché. But now his boyfriend was actually lying next to him, he couldn't help but agree with those stories.

Makoto's face looked serene, his features softened in his peacefull sleep. Haruka allowed a small smile to appear on his face as the tranquility of the sight before him brought him an unknown calmness.

The soft yellow light of the morning sun that was tracing Makoto's face made it look like Makoto was glowing.

Perhaps Makoto was actually glowing. Makoto's presence had lit up his life. Makoto's appearance was like the first day of spring after a strong, cold winter. It was warm and hopefull, beautiful and pure bliss. Makoto had been his light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, like his own personal ray of sunshine.

Haruka lifted the hand that wasn't gripping Makoto's shirt and lifted it towards Makoto's head. He started gently petting his boyfriend's hair, his fingers carding through the soft, fluffy strands.

He leaned a little closer to Makoto and brushed his lips against his chin, giving him a small peck.

Makoto stirred at Haruka's touch and he mumbled something that sounded a lot like ''five more minutes''.

Haruka chuckled inwardly. Sleepy Makoto was just too adorable. Makoto in general was just too cute.

He placed the palm of his hand on Makoto's cheek, gently stroking his cheekbone.

Due to Haruka's caressing, Makoto was waking up, slowly opening his eyes. When he was conscious enough to realise what was going on, he drowsily smiled at Haruka.

''Hey.'' Haruka greeted him.

''Good morning.'' Makoto replied, sleep lacing his voice.

''Sorry for waking you.''

''No, it's okay.'' Makoto said as he placed his own hand on top of Haruka's, squeezing softly. ''I don't mind.'' He continued. He turned his head a little and kissed the palm of his boyfriend's hand tenderly. ''I don't mind it when it's you who's waking me.''

Haruka's heart swelled with delight when he felt Makoto's lips on his skin and when he heard him speak those words. He smiled at him and scooted a little closer, using Makoto's arm as a pillow.

''Did you sleep well?'' Makoto asked as he held Haruka a bit tighter.

Haruka hummed, ''And you?''

''Yeah, I slept very well.'' He said.

''No nightmares?''

''No nightmares.'' Makoto confirmed as he pulled Haruka into his chest. ''All thanks to you.''

''Idiot.'' Haruka huffed, but he returned Makoto's embrace all the same.

Makoto nuzzled Haruka's head, the soft, black locks of his hair tickling his nose.

If it was up to Haruka, they would be together like this for the rest of the day. Just cuddling in bed together, sharing an occasional kiss and basking in each other's warmth. He knew it wasn't possible to laze around all day, so for now he settled for enjoying this moment for as long as possible.

Luckily for Haruka, Makoto had no intentions of getting up any time soon either.

After a while, Makoto broke the comfortable silence.

''I'm going to have to tell my family about us.'' He stated.

''Yeah,'' Haruka said as he looked up at his boyfriend, seeing a flash of worry in his deep, green eyes. ''It's going to be okay.''

Haruka could read Makoto like an open book, his eyes telling him everything. Makoto was worried. Worried about what his parents would say, if they would approve or not. Makoto's parents were nice, but Haruka had no idea how they would react. Your eldest son suddenly telling you that he's dating his best friend, male best friend that is, must be pretty shocking. They probably expected Makoto to fall in love with a pretty girl, get married and have children one day. A picture perfect family that held no place for Haruka.

Hurt by his own thoughts, he quickly tried to shake those thoughts out of his mind.

He doesn't think Makoto's family is homophobic, but what if he's wrong? Haruka can imagine Makoto's fears, telling your parents you fell in love with a boy and that you're dating now sure as hell isn't easy.

Haruka grabbed Makoto's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. ''It's going to be fine.''

Makoto softly squeezed back. ''I know, I guess I'm just a little nervous.''

''Do you want me to come? We can tell them together.'' Haruka proposed.

''Oh, you don't have to if you don't want to, I can tell them myself.''

''I want to. I want to be there for you, to support you.'' Haruka's voice was small as he spoke.

''Okay, then we'll tell them together.'' Makoto agreed as he kissed Haruka's forehead. ''When do you want to tell them?''

''Hmm,'' Haruka thought about this, ''I guess the sooner the better, so what about this afternoon? It's better than delaying it, and besides you can't keep this sort of thing from your family. Your face would betray you immediately if you lied to them, since you're just way too honest.''

''I suppose you're right. It's better to get over with it quickly. We'll tell them today.''

''Alright.'' Haruka said.

Now he knew for sure they couldn't stay in bed all day. Well, at least it's for something important. Though he still didn't feel like getting up just yet. He let go of Makoto's hand in order to wrap his arm around Makoto's back, holding him tightly as he pressed his face in Makoto's chest.

Makoto returned his embrace by holding him even closer, pressing Haruka's body against his own.

They sighed in contentment, appreciating their little moment and just plainly enjoying each other.


	23. All of This

They eventually got out of bed because they got hungry, though it happened with much reluctance. Haruka had used the bathroom first, he was making the both of them breakfast right now while Makoto was washing up.

Haruka was stirring the food with his chopsticks, but he wasn't really paying attention. Even though he didn't want Makoto to know, he, too, was kind of worried about the conversation they were going to have with Makoto's parents this afternoon. The outcome of the talk didn't affect him as much as it affected Makoto, of course, so he had to be strong for Makoto.

He knew Makoto wasn't ashamed of their relationship, but it was still hard to tell other people you're in a homosexual relationship. Especially to those who are close to you. Japan wasn't the most homophobic country in the world, but it wasn't that supportive either. Haruka didn't have this problem. He couldn't care less about what his parents or other people would think. The only person who's opinion did matter to him (besides Makoto's) was his deceased grandmother's, and he knew that his grandmother wasn't homophobic or judgemental. He knew for sure that his grandmother would absolutely adore Makoto, she would've loved him if she had gotten to know him. His grandmother would approve of their relationship and she would support them, just like she had always supported Haruka. That was all that mattered to him, besides Makoto's family, of course.

His thought process was halted when he felt strong arms wrap around his waist.

''What are you making?'' The beautiful voice behind him asked.

''Mackerel.'' Haruka responded as he leaned back into Makoto's broad chest.

Makoto chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and through Haruka's back. ''That was a silly question, it should have been obvious.'' He laughed and he briefly kissed Haruka's cheek before gently putting his head on Haruka's shoulder, watching his boyfriend cook.

Haruka didn't say anything, because he knew he didn't need to talk. He put his left hand over Makoto's hands that rested on his abdomen. He tilted his head and kissed Makoto on his lips.

He didn't want to break the kiss yet, but he was afraid that the mackerel was going to burn. So he turned off the stove, put the chopsticks aside and broke Makoto's hold on him.

He walked towards the hook on his wall, took off the apron he was wearing and hung it before returning to Makoto's side.

He wrapped his arms around Makoto's middle and looked into his eyes, blue seeking green, to convey his unspoken message. Makoto caught the meaning and gave in, leaning down to lock their lips once again.

Their kiss started out sweet, but quickly grew more passionate as their tongues got involved. Makoto tasted like mint - the toothpaste he used when he was at Haruka's - and his own personal taste Haruka loved.

Haruka was getting a little light headed and when he heard himself moan he knew they should stop before he, or possibly they, got swept up in the sensation.

He pulled back, the taste of Makoto still lingering on his lips. He saw Makoto slowly opening his eyes, a dreamy haze over them as he stares down at him. The sight tugged the corners of his mouth slightly upwards and he pressed the side of his head against Makoto's chest. He closed his eyes as the beating of Makoto's heart drummed through his ears.

Makoto started slowly swaying them to imaginary music. All of Haruka's worries and things that occupied his mind vanished. It was as if the floor disappeared beneath his feet. There was only them, Makoto and Haruka, in a place that didn't know the concept of time.

Makoto let out a big sigh that returned Haruka to his kitchen.

''I still can't believe that I'm actually holding you right now.'' He whispered lowly. ''I still can't believe you're actually mine.''

Haruka felt his face flush. ''Idiot.'' He said. Me neither he meant.

After a few more minutes of enveloping in Makoto's warm arms, Haruka released him.

''We should eat, the mackerel is getting cold.'' He stated.

Makoto giggled at Haruka's statement, since it was so Haru-like. ''You're right.''

As they were eating together, a wave of euphoria hit Haruka. Waking up next to Makoto, cooking breakfast for Makoto and himself and eating it together like this brought him an unknown joy. Makoto had stayed over before, but this was different.

It may sound silly, but Haruka knew he wanted this. All of this, every single day for the rest of his life.

* * *

After breakfast (lunch?) they made their way to the Tachibana residence.

Standing in front of the door, Makoto was nervously fumbling with his keys. After dropping them several times he finally managed to unlock the door. Hesistantly he looked at Haruka. Haruka just stared back at him, his eyes reassuring him. Makoto nodded and opened the door.

''I'm back! Haru's with me.'' Makoto yelled as they entered the house. The familiar sound of feet tapping against the wooden floor could be heard as the twins came running towards them, excitedly screaming ''Onii-chan'' and ''Haru-chan'' as they tackled both teenagers. Luckily the twins were still small and light, so neither of them actually fell.

''Do you want to play with us?'' Ren asked.

Makoto knelt down to his siblings' level as he spoke to them. ''Not right now, maybe later.''

''Eh, why not?'' Ran whined.

''Haru and I need to have a talk with Mom and Dad.'' He explained.

''Why can't we talk too?''

Makoto sighed. ''We need to have a talk with Mom and Dad first. We'll tell you afterwards.''

''Promise?''

''I promise. Now, can you two go play upstairs for a little while?''

''Okay.'' They gave in and they went upstairs.

Expecting his mom to be in the kitchen, Makoto made his way there, Haruka following closely behind.

His mother was indeed in the kitchen, finishing up the dishes as she heard the boys enter the room.

''Welcome back!'' She called as she towelled one of the last plates dry.

''Thanks. Uhm, Mom? Can we have a talk with you and Dad?'' Makoto's voice was quivering when he asked this question.

Mrs Tachibana looked a little startled at first, but she regained herself quickly. She smiled at them as if she knew a secret they didn't know.

''Of course! I'll finish this up quickly and then I'll go call your dad. Why don't you boys wait in the living room?'' She proposed.

''Okay, thanks.'' Makoto agreed before he and Haruka strolled towards the living room.

They sat down next to each other on the couch across of two chairs. Haruka's heart was beating a bit faster than usual. He has to admit he's feeling a little nervous as well, though it couldn't compare with what Makoto must be feeling.

Haruka glanced at his boyfriend. He was fidgeting in his seat and he was unconsiously biting his lip, tearing the skin with his teeth.

''Stop that.'' Haruka didn't say what exactly he should stop, but as always Makoto understood. He quit worrying his lip as he turned to Haruka.

''Sorry.'' He apologised.

''Don't be sorry. It's going to be okay.'' The tone of Haruka's voice was calming, and it luckily didn't show his own worry.

''I know. Thanks, Haru.'' He smiled anxiously at him.

At that moment Makoto's parents walked inside the room. Mr Tachibana sat down in the chair across from his son and Mrs Tachibana took the seat facing Haruka.

Worry was evident on Mr Tachibana's face, but Mrs Tachibana just smiled kindly at them.

''So,'' Mr Tachibana began as he cleared his throat, ''what did you want to talk to us about?''

''Uhm, well.. I.. We.. Haru and I, that is.. uhm.. We-'' Makoto stuttered, his anxiety causing him to mumble incoherent things.

He looked at Haruka for help, but Haruka just gave him a small nod, telling him to continue. This was something Makoto had to tell them himself, it wasn't Haruka's place to confess this. Haruka's role in this conversation was solely Makoto's moral support.

After taking a deep breath, Makoto started over.

''Haru and I.. We have decided to start dating!''


	24. Talking

''Haru and I.. We have decided to start dating!''

Makoto held his breath the minute he finished his sentence. His hands were clenched into fists on his lap as he stared at the floor. Haruka looked from his boyfriend to Makoto's parents.

Mr Tachibana's jaw had dropped and his eyes were so big they looked like they would fall out of his head, but Mrs Tachibana just lifted her hand to her mouth, trying to cover up the grin Haruka didn't know she was suppressing.

Makoto raised his head, eyeing his parents' reaction. He swallowed audibly, preparing himself for the worst.

Haruka didn't know what to expect either. Would they be disgusted and angry, or accepting and supporting?

Mr Tachibana was still trying to regain his composure, his son's news was something he didn't expect at all, when his wife spoke up.

''When did you boys decide that?'' She asked, amusement lacing her voice.

''Umm.. Y-Yesterday.'' Makoto answered a little confused. That wasn't really the question he was expecting.

''I see.'' Mrs Tachibana said, not being able to hold back the tiniest of smiles.

Mr Tachibana had finally recovered and he cleared his throat once more.

''Look, Makoto, I understand that you and Haru-kun are both healthy teenage boys,'' he started, obviously less amused than his wife, ''You're still young, with hormones raging through your system. It's only natural that you want to explore, discover, try out new things.''

Haruka was shocked, to say the least. Did Makoto's father think that they were simply physically experimenting with each other, that they were nothing more that horny teenagers trying to get off?

''Dad, it's not-'' Makoto was interrupted before he could finish what he was saying.

''I get that you both have new desires, things you didn't have before, but is this really the solution? Is this really what you want?'' His father questioned skeptically.

''It's not like that, Dad. It's not anything like that.'' Makoto defended. ''I love Haru! I really, really love him!''

As Makoto confessed this to his parents, he reached out and put his hand on top of Haruka's hands, that were folded in his lap. Haruka turned his head to stare at his boyfriend. His lips were parted in astonishment, since he didn't expect Makoto to bluntly state it like this towards anyone besides himself.

''I believe neither of you have ever dated anyone before, have you?'' Makoto's father wanted to know.

''No,'' Makoto admitted verbally, Haruka just shook his head, ''But what does that have to with anything?''

Mr Tachibana ignored his son's question. ''Same sex couples have to face a lot of difficulties, as they are not as common or accepted as relationships between the opposite genders. There are possibilities of constant discrimination, things you would need to learn how to live with. Can you live with the consequences a homosexual relationship has? Are you both sure you're not making a mistake? That this is really what you want?''

''I am sure. I want to be together with Haru, whatever it may take.'' Makoto confirmed confidently.

The words he had spoken meant a lot to Haruka, even if he didn't expect them.

''Makoto..'' He said softly. Makoto glanced at him and smiled, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.

''Well, I'm pretty sure Haru-kun feels the same, don't you?'' Mrs Tachibana suddenly asked.

Haruka turned to the woman sitting across of him and he nodded. ''I do.''

Mr Tachibana's face had softened and his voice was less firm when he spoke again.

''Then, maybe this is a strange question, but I still have to ask. Are you gay?''

''Ehh?'' Makoto was obviously surprise by this question, as if it was something he had never considered before. And judging by his facial expression, he probably never had.

''I.. I don't know. I mean, I never really thought about it.'' Makoto started, seemingly thinking about it now. He started thinking out loud. ''I've never been interested in girls or attracted to anyone, but it's not as if I've been interested in guys before. It's only Haru.''

Haruka gasped, blushing profusely as he looked at Makoto. He remembered feeling the same, only seeing Makoto, only being attracted to Makoto, only loving Makoto.

''I don't know what my sexuality is. All I know is that I love Haru, and honestly, that's all that matters to me!''

''Well, it's not as if it really matters. Straight, gay or anything in between, what difference does it make? You're still our son and we love you, whatever your sexual and romantic preferences may be.'' Mrs Tachibana reassured with her trademark smile.

''So, you're not upset? You're not mad at me?'' Makoto asked. Haruka didn't say anything, even though he thought that was already obvious.

''No, why would we be mad?'' Mr Tachibana was confused now.

''You're not going to disown me?'' Haruka raised an eyebrow at Makoto's question. Did he really think his parents would be so upset they would disown him?

''Of course not!'' Mrs Tachibana exclaimed, ''We're really happy for you and Haru-kun. You have our blessing and support!''

''R-Really?'' Makoto's eyes were starting to water.

''Really!'' Mrs Tachibana insisted, standing up and walked towards the couch to gather her crying son in her arms.

Makoto got off the sofa to return her embrace when his father joined in. Tears were rapidly running down his face. Tears of relief and happiness and Haruka noticed all the tension leaving Makoto's body.

Haruka was relieved as well. After Mr Tachibana's interrogation he was sure that Makoto's father was going to disapprove, and judging by Makoto's tears, he was expecting the same.

Though Haruka was glad that the Tachibana's had worked out everything together, he found it weird to watch them all hug. He was never held like that by his parents and he's happy that Makoto has, but it still feels like he's an intruder imposing on them while this was supposed to be a moment for their family only.

That feeling of intruding disappeared when Makoto's mother made a gesture to him, inviting him to join their group hug. He stood up and he was pulled in immidiately by Mrs Tachibana. Her arm and one of Makoto's wrapped around his back. Haruka let out a sigh of contentment, satisfied that everything had turned out this way.

After a while they released each other and Mrs Tachibana reached out to wipe the remaining tears off of her son's face. Mr Tachibana patted Haruka's back in a friendly gesture.

''Then we will leave Makoto to you from now on. Take good care of him, will you?'' He laughed.

''Thank you, I will.'' Haruka assured.

''Well then, now that's everything settled,'' Mrs Tachibana said, ''Can you help me out with something in the kitchen, Haru-kun?''

''Sure.'' He mumbled, stumbling after the woman towards the kitchen.

When they arrived Mrs Tachibana leaned against the counter, checking if they were alone.

''Actually, I wanted to have a little chat with you.'' She started gently, but Haruka noticed a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Haruka just nodded in response. He kind of expected this already, considering every single time he offered to help her out, she always politely declined, telling him she could handle everything by herself. That, and she looked like she was keeping a secret that threatened to spill from her lips any moment, since she just couldn't contain it.

Haruka's suspicion was confirmed when Mrs Tachibana continued talking.

''I kind of already suspected that you and Makoto would start a relationship eventually, so when he asked to have a talk with his father and me with you there, I knew the time had come.''

Haruka was taken aback a little by her statement. ''How did you know?''

''Well, I would love to say that it was female intuition, but that isn't completely true.'' She chuckled, ''Of course, as a mother I notice when my son's in love, especially since this is the first time it happened. Perhaps I even realised it before he did. He started looking happier and happier ever since we moved here. He would be lost in his thoughts for a while, daydreaming all the time, which was odd, because he had always been very alert. But that was not it. When he came home from school the first day, he had this look in his eyes. We were talking about his, Ran's and Ren's first day at a new school and that's when he told us about the friend he made that lived right on top of the hill.''

Haruka's heart skipped a beat. Makoto had considered Haruka his friend from the very first day? For some reason, that meant a lot to him.

''There was this gleam in his eyes when he talked about you. At first I thought he was just excited to have made a friend that quickly. But since then, every time he talked about you, which was quite often actually, the gleam would return and he seemed very dreamy. That's when I was guessing that he might have a crush on you. My intuition was confirmed when you came over the first time. The look in his eyes intensified when you were around. It was as if every single feeling was shining through his eyes. That's when I knew he was a goner. Of course, I can't read you as well as I can read my own son, so I think I can credit that part to my female intuition. Your gaze seemed to soften ever time it landed on Makoto, but I couldn't be sure. However, I was never afraid you would reject him, I somehow knew you were going to fall for Makoto, too. I mean, have you see him? My son's so handsome and nice, there's no way in hell anyone with a grain of common sense is going to say 'no' to him!'' She laughed at her own joke.

Haruka snorted at her last comment. Well, she wasn't wrong.

''Have you ever noticed the way he looks at you, Haru-kun?'' Mrs Tachibana asked him, her voice serious but nice.

Haruka had no idea what she was suggesting. Makoto looked at him differently than he looked at other people? When Haruka didn't respond to her question, she explained what she meant.

''Whenever he looks at you, there is this certain type of look in his eyes. A look that represents fondness and love. When I first saw it, it was weird since it looked so familiar, but I was absolutely sure I never saw it coming from Makoto before. Then it hit me. It was the same look my husband always had when he looked at me. He still has it, sometimes..'' She trailed off.

Haruka was glad that she had told him this, even if he didn't really know how to react. This obviously meant a lot to Makoto's mother, and he was happy that she trusted him enough to share something with him that was so close to her heart.

''Anyway,'' Mrs Tachibana continued, back on track after trailing off, ''That's when I knew he's in love with you. I still don't know where he got the courage to confess, though.''

Haruka thought that in exchange for her secret, he would tell her something as well. She probably wasn't going to discuss this conversation with anyone else, and even if she was, he didn't really care.

''Actually, I was the one who confessed to him. I kind of just blurted out that I love him.'' Haruka admitted.

''Yesterday?'' Mrs Tachibana asked.

Haruka nodded. ''Yes.''

''Well, I'm glad you did. Makoto would probably never mustere up the courage to tell you his feelings. And even if he did, I think he still wouldn't confess to you. He would be afraid to ruin your friendship or something. Honestly, that boy, so self-sacrificing all the time.''

Tell me about it, thought Haruka. ''I'm glad I did, too.''

''I hope you two will be very happy together, but something tells me that that won't be much of a problem.'' She smiled at him. Makoto may have inherited the loving look in his eyes from his father, but his smile was definitely his mother's.

''Thank you.'' Haruka said. He was honestly so relieved Makoto's parents were so accepting and supportive, especially his mother. He couldn't thank her enough.

''You're welcome. Now, to me you already were a little bit like family, but I guess it is offical now. Welcome to the family, Haru-kun.'' Mrs Tachibana stated and she opened her arms, a silent invitation for another hug.

Haruka couldn't refuse her and he took a step forward to accept her embrace. ''Thank you.'' He repeated as they let each other go.

''Well, we better get back to the others, before they get suspicion. Plus, I believe Makoto and you still have to tell two little demons something.''

''Yeah.''

''Do you want to stay for dinner?'' Mrs Tachibana asked.

''Sure.'' Haruka agreed.

''Great! Oh, and Haru-kun, I hope this conversation will stay our little secret.'' She said as she pressed her index finger to her lips, as if to emphasize silence and she winked at him.

Haruka couldn't suppress a small smile. It had been his intention to keep this between the two of them. ''Of course.''


	25. Explaining

Mrs Tachibana and Haruka returned to the living room, where Mr Tachibana and Makoto still were, seemingly having a conversation of their own. Makoto's tears had dried, but his eyes were still red and puffy from crying.

''Ah, are you done?'' Mr Tachibana asked his wife.

''Yup!'' Mrs Tachibana exclaimed cheerfully.

''Makoto.''

''Right, Haru, let's go upstairs.'' Makoto said as he stood up and walked towards Haruka. Together they made their way to the stairs.

The second they set foot on the first floor the door to Ren and Ran's room swung open and the twins stormed into the corridor. It was as if they had nervously been waiting for them the entire time, and judging by the expression on their faces, they had. Their eyes were big and shone with anticipation as they curiously stared at their elder brother.

''Onii-chan, are you going to tell us now?'' Ran questioned.

''Are we going to talk?'' Ren filled in.

''Yes, yes, we're telling you now.'' Makoto assured them as he gestured towards his room.

''Yay!'' They yelled as they crashed into Makoto's bedroom.

''Curious monsters.'' Makoto mumbled before following his siblings.

Ran and Ren had already settled down on top of Makoto's bed when Makoto and Haruka entered.

Makoto sat down at the head of his bed and Haruka took place at the end, the twins sitting between them.

''So, tell us!'' Ran demanded.

Ren's expression suddenly turned from eager to worried. ''Onii-chan, have you been crying?''

''Uh, yeah.. I-''

Ran gasped when she noticed. ''Onii-chan, did you do something bad?''

''It's okay, you don't have to cry!'' Ren tried to calm Makoto down, even though he wasn't upset.

''We still love you even if you did something bad! As long as you're honest, it doesn't matter!'' Ran added.

Makoto chuckled a bit at the cuteness of his siblings' concerned reaction.

''Thanks, I love you, too, but I didn't do anything bad.''

Ren seemed to think this over when Ran spoke as if she had found the issue.

''Then, did Haru-chan do something bad? Is that why he's here?''

Ren jumped in. ''And you were crying because you felt sorry for Haru-chan?''

''What? No, that's not it either.'' Makoto said.

Haruka snorted at the confused looks on the children's faces.

''Then what did you have to tell Mom and Dad?'' Ren wondered.

''Well,'' Makoto started, ''We told Mom and Dad that we are dating now.''

''Dating? Onii-chan and Haru-chan?'' Ren wasn't sure he understood.

''That's right.'' Makoto confirmed.

''Huh? You can't be dating, you're both boys!'' Ran exclaimed.

Makoto sighed, already expecting this sort of reaction. ''It doesn't matter that we're both boys. Boys can have a relationship with other boys and girls can have a relationship with other girls. It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl as long as you both love each other.''

''Oh, I get it!''

''But, why were you crying then? Do you not want to date Haru-chan?'' Ren questioned.

''Do you not love Haru-chan?'' Ran asked.

''I wasn't crying because I don't want to date Haru or because I don't love him. I love him very much, so of course I want to be together with him. I was crying because I was relieved.''

''Relieved?'' They asked at the same time.

''Yeah. We didn't know what Mom and Dad would think about our relationship. I was afraid that they weren't going to accept it.''

''Why would they not accept it?'' Ran inquired.

''Well, because Haru and I are both boys.''

''Huh? But you just said it doesn't matter that you're both boys!'' Ren said perplexed.

''It doesn't!'' Makoto defended. ''Look, it doesn't matter what gender you are when two people love each other, but there are a lot of people who think otherwise. There are people who think only a boy and a girl should be together. They think it's wrong if a relationship is not between a boy and a girl. They find it disgusting and are against it.''

''That's stupid!'' Ran objected.

''Yeah, as long as they love each other, it's not a problem.''

''It is stupid, but a lot of other people disagree. In a lot of countries, including Japan, two people of the same gender can't get married. In some countries it's even illegal to be with someone who has the same gender as you. The point is, the majority of people like someone of the opposite gender, and we're taught that that is the right thing because that's how most people are. But the truth is that there is no right or wrong. Yet, we still have to be carefull. Most people don't know how to react when they see a couple of the same gender, because they were told that it's not right. Some people hate it when two people of the same sex are together.'' Makoto explained.

''But that isn't any of their business.'' Ran thought.

''It isn't, but they still feel that way.'' Makoto continued his explanation, ''That's why we have to be cautious. There can be a lot of discrimination. I was afraid that Mom and Dad weren't going to accept that Haru and I are in love with each other.''

''Mom and Dad aren't mean, so they think it's ok, right?'' Ren didn't want to believe that his parents could disapprove.

''You're right, Mom and Dad are kind people, but I was still afraid. Even if people are nice, they still can have different opinions than you, especially on a subject as sensitive as this one. That's why it's better to be carefull, okay?'' Makoto concluded.

''Okay!'' The twins agreed in unison.

Makoto looked up to Haruka, who had been listening quietly the entire time and smiled at him.

''Wait, now that you're dating, does that mean you're going to kiss and hug and do all the other stuff Mom and Dad do?'' Ran suddenly asked.

The question startled Makoto and Haruka snorted at the look on the other's face.

''Well, uhm.. yeah.'' He responded sheepishly.

''Gross!'' Ren thought.

''It's not gross!'' Ran defended. ''You're being mean just like those kind of people!''

''I didn't mean it like that!''

''Now, now, I know you didn't mean it like that.'' Makoto tried to prevent the twins from getting into a fight over something like this.

Luckily their little arguement didn't escalate any further.

''So, do you know everything you wanted to know?'' Makoto asked them.

The twins contemplated this for a second before nodding.

''Well then, why don't you two go downstairs? I think dinner will be ready soon.''

''Okay.'' They said as they got up and left the room.

As soon as the door was shut Makoto let out a deep breath, his shoulders slumping.

Haruka crawled over to Makoto and sat next to him. He wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist and pressed a quick kiss against his lips.

Makoto returned his boyfriend's embrace, tension leaving his body as he held the one he loved in his arms.


	26. Awkward Conversations & Back Muscles

They sat on the bed together, just cuddling with a few kisses here and there, until they were called downstairs, because dinner was ready.

Makoto yelled that they were coming down and he got up, but not before giving Haruka another kiss.

They walked down the stairs and went to the dining room, sitting down in their usual seats.

Makoto's mother had made green curry for dinner, Makoto's favourite. Haruka guessed she had made her oldest son's favourite dish because of the conversation they had earlier. As his mother she had surely noticed how distressed Makoto had been, so she probably made it to cheer him up. Clearly, it had worked. Makoto's face lit up when he saw the food and he thanked his mother with a big grin. It wasn't mackerel, but Haruka would gladly eat something other than his preferred fish if it was for the sake of Makoto's happiness.

The first half of dinner was relatively quiet, save for a few of Mr Tachibana's jokes that were unintentionally making Makoto a little uncomfortable.

Then Mrs Tachibana asked ''Do you want to stay over, Haru-kun?'' with a smile plastered on her face. But before Haruka could open his mouth, Mr Tachibana jumped in.

''Wait, do you really think that's a good idea?''

''I don't see why not? I mean, they've had sleepovers before, so I don't see why they shouldn't have one now. Besides, Makoto stayed over at Haru-kun's house yesterday, and I believe they were already dating then. I don't know why we shouldn't allow it now.'' Mrs Tachibana reasoned.

''I guess you're right. But no funny business!'' He warned Makoto and Haruka, neither having any clue what was going on all of a sudden.

''Funny business?'' The twins questioned, but their question went unheard as their mother spoke.

''Oh, please,'' She laughed, ''They're teenagers. They're going to do it if they want to, whether you like it or not. You 'forbidding' them won't stop it from happening. It's only natural for healthy boys. Plus, do you really think that those kind of things only happen at night? Of course not, so should they never be allowed to be alone together? Would they need constant chaperoning to prevent things that are completely normal from happening? Don't be ridiculous!''

Makoto's head was as red as a tomato, his embarrassment clear as day and Haruka's cheeks felt a little hot as well. Your not yet existing sex life being discussed by your boyfriend's parents over dinner isn't really something Haruka would recommend anyone, especially when there are children in the room.

After being a bit speechless for a while because of his wife's blunt statements, Mr Tachibana cleared his throat.

''Alright, I won't complain. But boys, remember to use protection! Even if you can't get pregnant and it's both your first times, it's always better to be safe than sorry!'' He declared.

Makoto groaned and pressed his hands against his burning face. Haruka thought Makoto's embarrassment was kind of adorable, though he had to admit he was feeling a little ashamed as well.

Ren and Ran, however, had absolutely no idea what the conversation had been about and they were at loss. They didn't understand what their dad had meant with 'funny business' and they were utterly confused about the reason their brother and Haru-chan were so red and clearly uncomfortable.

''Funny business?'' Ran asked again.

''Haru-chan is staying over and we can't have fun?'' Ren sounded as disappointed as he was confused.

Haruka didn't bring up the fact that he hadn't agreed to stay over yet. Everyone was already assuming, but it wasn't as if staying here tonight was absolute hell. He would've said yes either way. Spending another night with Makoto was definetely something Haruka wouldn't complain about. Actually, he was glad that he could stay at Makoto's side for now. He would choose an evening with Makoto over an evening spent in solitude any time.

The twins continued pressing on with their questions about having fun and Mr Tachibana had no idea what he should say. Luckily, his wife provided a good distraction.

''So, who wants dessert?''

All of their previous wonders were forgotten in an instand as they screamed excitedly.

''Me! Me!''

* * *

After dessert Haruka and Makoto returned to the latter's room. Haruka had planned on continuing where they had left off before they were called for dinner.

When they entered the bedroom, Makoto let out a heavy sigh and stretched his neck. Haruka walked towards him and locked their lips, wrapping his arms around Makoto's neck.

As they kissed, Haruka ran his hands over Makoto's neck and shoulders, feeling his muscles. They were rock-hard, and not in a good way. Haruka could feel knots underneath his fingertips and he pulled back from the kiss.

''Do your shoulders and neck hurt?'' He asked.

''Well, uh.. Maybe a little? I mean, it's nothing. Probably just from tension or something, nothing too bad!'' Makoto clearly didn't want to make Haruka worried.

Haruka gestured at the bed. ''Sit down.''

Makoto quietly obeyed, not knowing what Haruka intended to do, but trusting him.

Haruka crawled behind him so that his back was leaning against the wall and Makoto was sitting between his legs. He put his hands on Makoto's shoulders and Makoto flinched.

''W-What are you doing, Haru?''

''Isn't it obvious?''

''Haru, you don't have to, really! It'll go away, there's no need to-'' Makoto stammered on until Haruka cut him off.

''Shut up.''

Haruka ran his hands over Makoto's upper back, the fabric of Makoto's shirt being a hindrance. He tugged at the hem of the shirt.

''Take it off.'' He commanded.

''Eh?'' Makoto yelped. ''Is that really necessary? I mean, you don't have to, I can just-''

Haruka knew Makoto was probably just embarrassed, but it was for his own good. There was a lot of pressure on Makoto's back and Haruka wanted to relieve him of it, but the shirt was in the way and there was no other option. Haruka didn't want to make his boyfriend uncomfortable, but he didn't want him to be in pain either. The shirt had to come off.

''Makoto.''

Makoto sighed and gave in. He pulled the shirt over his head and took it off, revealing his broad, muscular back.

Every coherent thought Haruka had had seeped out of his mind as he laid eyes upon his boyfriend's back.

Haruka had always known that Makoto's shoulders and back were wide and muscular, but seeing them in front of him in all of their glory made his mouth water. These muscles could challenge those of professional athletes, and that was not an exaggeration. At this moment Haruka couldn't do anything but stare.

''Uh, Haru?'' Embarrassment was evident in Makoto's voice.

Haruka snapped out of it when he heard his boyfriend speak. ''Right, sorry.''

Haruka put his hands back on Makoto's shoulders, now bare instead of covered in cloth. He moved his hands to Makoto's well-sculpted shoulderblades, feeling the toned muscles underneath his fingertips.

''Wow.'' It had slipped out before he knew it and his voice was laced with amazement.

''Haru!'' Makoto whined, the tips of his ears burning crimson.

Haruka honestly didn't know why Makoto was so embarrassed. He should know that his back is absolutely gorgeous, just like the rest of his body Haruka has seen (and the places Haruka has not explored yet probably too). Shouldn't it be a good feeling that your boyfriend likes, hell, loves your body? Wouldn't you want your lover to be attracted to your body? He probably likes it even though he's embarrassed, Haruka reasoned.

Haruka started his massage at the top of Makoto's neck, where his hair ends. He gently rubbed down the muscles of Makoto's neck with the pads of his thumbs. When he had removed all the knots, he moved his palms towards Makoto's shoulders, kneading the soft flesh. When he successfully massaged one particular knot away, Makoto let out a low moan, immediately clasping his mouth. Haruka grinned inwardly, pleased by the sound. It told him that Makoto was enjoying this just as much as he was and Haruka was glad.

Haruka massaged Makoto's entire back until he had worked away every single knot. Maybe he continued a little longer than necessary, but whatever.

When he was done he ran his hands along the length of Makoto's back, signalling that he was done. He leaned foreward and placed a kiss between Makoto's shoulderblades.

''There, all done!'' He said.

As soon as he spoke those words Makoto put his shirt back on.

Makoto turned his head over his shoulder so he could see Haruka from the corner of his eye. ''Thank you, Haru. Really.'' He smiled softly.

Haruka hummed in response, a silent you're welcome. He wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist and kissed the nape of Makoto's neck, just above his shirt. He rested his cheek against the back he loves and sighed in contentment.


	27. Tickle Fights

The rest of the night was spent gaming with them occasionally making out, until it was time to go to bed.

Mrs. Tachibana had joked about them not needing an extra futon now, as they could just share Makoto's bed. She had noticed Haruka always ended up in Makoto's bed at some point during the night. She didn't say anything about it, because it wasn't really her business either way, and Makoto seemed to be more rested whenever his friend had slept over. Considering the frequent nightmares her son had, it was a good thing that he was better rested. That, and she knew what it was like to sleep alone when you could have the arms of the person you love around you instead. She loved it, so why should she deny them the feeling? If the boys wanted to sleep together, she sure as hell wasn't going to stop them.

Makoto and Haruka were lying in the former's bed right now, Haruka's head tucked under Makoto's chin. Makoto placed a gentle kiss to Haruka's crown and he broke the comfortable silence.

''That didn't quite turn out like I expected it to.''

Haruka hummed. ''I'm glad everything turned out just fine.''

''Yeah, me too,'' Makoto sighed. ''You know, I was really worried..''

Haruka pulled himself up a little, so he was lying face to face with Makoto. He looked into his eyes, telling him to continue.

''I was afraid they weren't going to accept me, that they wouldn't accept us. Especially when my father started to question us. It almost felt as if we were being interrogated by him, and that only added to my anxiety.''

Haruka raised his hand and brushed a few stray hairs out of Makoto's face.

''I was so relieved when they said they support us, that they accept us for who we are.''

''Especially your mother.''

Makoto chuckled.

''Yeah. I knew that even if they support us, they still need time to get used to the fact that my life will not be what they expected it to be like. That I'll never get married to a woman or provide grandchildren.''

Haruka stared at him, his eyes asking ''You won't?''.

''Why would I? I've got everything I need right here.''

Haruka blushed and Makoto smiled, closing the distance between them and capturing Haruka's lips in a loving kiss.

When he pulled back, he continued. ''I guess my father will need some time to get used to it. My mother, however, seemes to be used to it already. Or perhaps she didn't expect the original scenario to begin with.''

You have no idea, Haruka thought, but he didn't say anything.

''I'm also glad the twins took it so well. I kind of expected them to, maybe after a little explaining, since children aren't as judgemental as adults.'' He paused for a second. ''Oh, that reminds me, Haru! What about your parents?''

Haruka only shrugged in response.

''You'll have to tell them eventually. Even after everything that happened, they're still your parents, so they deserve to know. I understand if you don't want to, though.''

''I know. I'll tell them the next time they visit.''

''Okay,'' Makoto said, ''It's not really something to tell over the phone anyway.''

Haruka hummed again and pressed his lips to Makoto's. He sighed against Makoto's mouth, tilting his head to deepen the kiss.

They continued exchanging kisses back and forth, until Makoto noticed that Haruka was getting tired. After giving his boyfriend one last peck, he pulled back.

''It's getting pretty late, we should probably go to sleep.''

Haruka nodded in response, placing a kiss on the corner of Makoto's mouth before he nestled back in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent.

''Good night.''

''Sleep well, Haru. I love you,'' Makoto whispered as he petted the back of Haruka's head.

''Mmh, love you, too,'' Haruka responded as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

They were sitting on the floor of Haruka's room the next afternoon, doing homework together. They had decided to do their homework at Haruka's house rather than at Makoto's, since it would be quieter here, without children begging for their attention. Plus, Haruka's books were still over at his house.

Haruka was absent-mindedly doodling in the corner of the page. He really hated English. He was very bad at it and so was Makoto, so it's not as if they could help each other.

He sighed. Why in the world was he trying to do his homework when there are better things he could be doing right now?

Because of the events that had happened these past few days, they still had to do all of their homework. Haruka did it any way, not wanting to get detention for not doing it. Detention was a big waste of time, even more so than the actual homework.

Haruka quickly filled in the answers, not caring if they were correct or not. It's not as if the teachers actually checked whether the answers were right, so he didn't really try hard.

It took a while until Makoto finally put down his pen. He probably tried to get the questions right, being the good student he was.

Makoto sighed in relief and Haruka crawled over to him. He wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist, running his hands up and down Makoto's side.

The other let out a shaky breath. ''Haru! That tickles!''

Makoto's words gave Haruka an idea. He put his hands on each side of Makoto's torso and he started to tickle him. Makoto laughed, ''Haru, cut it out!''

Makoto's reaction only fueled Haruka and he moved his hands faster, his fingertips ghosting over the sensitive skin of Makoto's sides.

Haruka was startled when he was suddenly pushed down, his back hitting the floor. Makoto straddled his hips, holding Haruka's wrists and pinning them to the floor above his head. Haruka's heart skipped a beat when he saw Makoto hovering over him. This reminded him of the wet dream he had had a few days earlier. He swallowed audibly.

Makoto smirked. ''You know, you shouldn't try to play games I'm better at, Haru.'' His voice was low, almost seductive and there was this unfamiliar gleam in his eyes.

Haruka's heart pounded fiercely against his ribs in anticipation. Makoto adjusted his grip, so he was holding both of Haruka's wrists with his left hand. Blood rushed towards Haruka's cheeks as Makoto moved his right hand towards his abdomen.

Makoto started tickling him and Haruka struggled against his hand, but Makoto was too strong.

''Makoto- Stop- Stop it- Mako-'' Haruka couldn't hold it in any more and he started laughing.

The sound of his laugh was beautiful and he was laughing loudly for the first time in forever.

Makoto's tickling ceased and his jaw dropped as he stared at his boyfriend. This was the first time he had heard Haruka's laugh and he couldn't do anything but dumbly look at Haruka as his cheeks flushed because of the beautiful sound.

When Haruka regained his breath, he looked up at Makoto. He saw the dumbfounded expression on Makoto's face and decided that he would take advantage of this moment of weakness.

He pushed Makoto's shoulders downwards and climbed on top of him, now straddling Makoto's hips instead of the other way around. He resumed his tickling from before and that seemed to snap Makoto out of it. He laughed and laughed, the joyful sound filling the room.

''Haru!'' He managed to get out, ''Haru, please-''

''Who's better at this game now?''

''Haru, please- I give up- You win, you win- I surrender- Haru- Have mercy!'' Makoto laughed as he squirmed under Haruka's slender fingers.

Haruka continued tickling for a little while longer, just to tease Makoto a bit more, before he decided to have mercy on Makoto's poor soul. He stilled his hands, yet still resting them on Makoto's abs.

Makoto panted, out of breath because of all the laughing. He raised his hand towards Haruka's cheek, caressing it lovingly.

''I never knew your laugh sounds so beautiful.''

Haruka huffed.

''It suits the rest of you.''

''Idiot,'' Haruka muttered as he averted his eyes, his cheeks colouring.

Makoto chuckled and he pulled Haruka down, so that he was now lying on top of Makoto. Haruka's arms were trapped between their chests and Makoto wrapped his arms around the small of Haruka's back. Makoto leaned up and pecked the tip of Haruka's nose.

Haruka followed Makoto's head back down and kissed his lips. Makoto's hands travelled upward and he held Haruka's face as he gently kissed back.

After a while Haruka pulled back, his lips wet with saliva of the both of them. He placed his head upon Makoto's chest, feeling him breathe underneath him.

Makoto rubbed his back softly with his large hand and Haruka sighed in contentment.

''I'm so glad that I met you,'' slipped out of his lips before he noticed. He didn't bother to make up an excuse for his words, since he meant every single one of them.

''I think that should be my line,'' Makoto smiled, ''I'm the one who's glad I met you. I'm so lucky to have you I can't even comprehend it sometimes.''

''I feel the same,'' Haruka admitted. He looked up to meet Makoto's eyes, silently telling him ''I love you''.

He got a silent response as Makoto's green eyes said ''I know, I love you, too''.


	28. Unexpected

It was dark outside and Makoto and Haruka were standing on the doorstep of the latter's house.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing pretty much the only things they had done the entire weekend: cuddling and kissing. They only stopped to make and eat dinner - mackerel of course -, after which they did the dishes together.

Time flies when you're having fun, Haruka supposed, because this weekend had passed way too quickly for his liking. It felt like it had been only seconds since he confessed his feelings to Makoto, yet it was Sunday evening already.

Unfortunately for them, all good things had to come to an end, and they had to say their goodbyes for now. It wasn't a disaster, since they wouldn't be apart for long - they had school tomorrow after all -, but after being together non-stop for a couple of days, parting was hard for them.

''Thanks for having me over,'' Makoto said with his trademark smile.

Haruka just nodded in response. He wasn't really sure why Makoto was thanking him in the first place, but as always he chose not to comment.

''I'll see you tomorrow, Haru,'' Makoto spoke and Haruka looked up at him expectantly. It took a few seconds before Makoto understood what Haruka wanted. He put his bag down and gathered Haruka in his arms, leaning down to give him a kiss good night. Haruka wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist and tenderly kissed him back.

Haruka thought that the kiss actually lasted too long to be a normal good night kiss, but he didn't pull back. His suspicions were confirmed when he felt Makoto's tongue nudging at his lips. Haruka opened his mouth and shivers ran down his spine as he felt Makoto's hot tongue slide through his parted lips, licking inside his mouth.

One of Makoto's hands held Haruka's face gently, his other hand resting on Haruka's hip. The other eagerly kissed back, tightening his grip.

They were both getting worked up, feeling the other get more and more heated. They should be saying goodbye right now, not getting hot and bothered together, so they pulled back.

Makoto rested his forehead against Haruka's, staring into his deep, oceanic blue eyes, trying to convey the words he had not spoken.

Haruka understood and he pushed his head into Makoto's broad chest. ''I don't want you to leave,'' He muttered, his voice muffled by Makoto's body.

''I don't want to leave, either,'' Makoto responded, ''But I have to.'' He stroked the back of Haruka's head, fingers carding through the raven locks.

No you don't, Haruka thought, you can stay right here with me. He didn't voice these thoughts, though, because he knew they were unreasonable and selfish.

''I should really head back now.''

Haruka nodded into Makoto's chest. He leaned up to give Makoto one last kiss - a real kiss good night this time - before reluctantly releasing him.

''I'll see you tomorrow, Haru.''

Haruka hummed. ''See you tomorrow.''

''Bye,'' Makoto said as he picked up his bag and walked away, ''Good night!''

''Bye.''

There was a fairly cold wind outside and now he wasn't held in Makoto's warm embrace anymore, Haruka was getting cold. He waited until Makoto was no longer in sight before closing the door. A bath would warm him.

He walked to the bathroom and filled the bath with steaming water. He stripped and stepped into the tub. He flinched a little when the hot water touched his toes, usually preferring lukewarm water, before easing back into the water.

The bathroom was filled with steam and Haruka let out a big sigh. He hadn't spent much time soaking this weekend and he had kind of missed it, but he had had a good replacement. A great replacement. Someone who rivalled the water. Makoto.

It hadn't even been ten minutes since he'd last seen the other, but he already missed him a little. Being submerged in his precious element soothed him, but he still felt a bit hurt. Was it normal to feel like this? Wasn't he being too clingy, too selfish? Was it okay to feel this protective and even this possessive over your lover?

He didn't know. The last thing he wanted was Makoto to feel overwhelmed by him and his feelings. Maybe he was reading into this too much. Perhaps it was normal and Makoto felt the same way.

For now, Haruka decided to stop worrying and enjoy the water, looking forward to seeing his love again tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning Haruka actually hurried getting dressed and eating. He longed to see Makoto again, and he secretly hoped that Makoto had missed him, too, even if they had only been apart for a few hours, most of which they'd been asleep.

It wasn't as if he had slept bad, per se, but he had missed the feeling of a larger body pressing against his own. Makoto radiated a comfortable warmth, one his blankets couldn't provide.

Haruka left his house, remembering to lock the door. He walked towards the stone stairs, at the bottom of which he saw him, already waiting for Haruka's arrival.

As soon as Makoto spotted him, his face lit up and he beamed at Haruka.

''Good morning, Haru,'' He called. Haruka allowed himself to smile a little as he descended the stairs.

''Morning.''

Makoto tilted his head. ''Shall we go, then?''

Haruka nodded and they started walking to school together. It didn't take long for their hands to find each other, their fingers entwining. Haruka looked up at Makoto and their gaze met. Makoto smiled down at him and it still made Haruka's heart beat faster.

They held hands for the rest of the way, only letting go once they approached the school.

* * *

Just a few more minutes until lunchtime, Haruka thought as he stared at the clock that hung on the wall of their classroom. He couldn't wait to be alone with Makoto again, without any obnoxious teachers or annoying students. Just the two of them, together on the roof, sharing lunch as well as kisses.

He turned his head back to Makoto. The other probably felt Haruka's eyes on him, because he looked back at Haruka and smiled. 'It'll be lunchtime soon, Haru' his eyes said.

Haruka nodded, answering with an unspoken 'I know'.

Makoto turned back, trying to pay attention to the last couple of minutes of the lesson.

When the bell finally rang, Haruka gathered his things quickly. Makoto stood next to him.

''Ready to go, Haru?''

''Yeah,'' Haruka muttered when he saw one of their classmates walk up to them. He unconsiously got into defensive mode, but was surprised when the girl actually turned to him.

''Uhm, Nanase-kun?'' She started, ''Can I talk to you for a second?''

Confused, Haruka looked up at Makoto. He saw something unfamiliar clouding Makoto's eyes, but it disappeared almost immediately.

''It's okay! I'll go on ahead,'' He said, his smile not completely genuine, but before Haruka could respond Makoto had already turned around and walked off.

Weird, Haruka thought, but he would find out what was wrong with his boyfriend later. First, he needed to figure out what this girl wanted from him. He suddenly remembered that he never answered her question, so he nodded.

They waited until every other student had left the room. Meanwhile, Haruka realised he had absolutely no idea who this girl was, let alone what her name was. He shrugged inwardly, since it probably didn't matter either way. At least, he hoped so.

When they were alone, the girl cleared her throat.

''So, uh, Nanase-kun, thank you for being here, willing to hear me out.''

Haruka just nodded in response, encouraging her to continue. He hoped this wasn't another girl trying to get his advice on how to talk to Makoto. If that was the case, then he wasn't sure he would be able to give her a nice answer.

However, what the girl's real motive was surprised him even more.

''You see,'' The girl continued, ''The truth is that I.. I like you, Nanase-kun!''

Haruka's eyes widend as he stared at the girl in shock.

It was quiet for a while, until Haruka noticed that he hadn't answered the girl yet.

''I.. I'm not interested.''

A certain sadness flashed through the girl's brown eyes, but was quickly replaced with a look of understanding.

''There's someone else, right?'' She asked, her tone indicating that she already knew the answer.

''Yes,'' Haruka spoke, suddenly remembering his manners, ''I'm sorry.''

''It's okay.'' The girl smiled at him. ''It's Tachibana-kun, isn't it? Are you two together?''

Her words had startled Haruka and he couldn't do anything but stare at the girl dumbly.

''Correct me if I'm wrong, though. It's just that the two of you are really close and I've never seen you interact with anyone else. That, and ever since Tachibana-kun transferred here, you seem happier. You're not frowning all the time anymore and sometimes you even smile. And when Kaori-chan confessed to Tachibana-kun, he rejected her and told her there was someone else. That's why I thought that maybe you were each other's someones.'' The girl said quickly, her tone clearly showing that she hoped she hadn't offended Haruka one way or the other.

''You're right,'' Haruka confirmed, ''It's him.''

''Then, are you together?'' She asked, not being able to contain her curiosity. ''I won't tell anyone. I promise,'' She quickly added, waving her hands in front of her body.

''I-'' Haruka hesitated, not sure if he should tell this girl about their relationship. He didn't want the girl to think he was embarrassed about his relationship with Makoto, so he decided to tell her. She seemed honest enough, not like she was going to spread a rumor, so it shouldn't matter either way. ''Yes,'' He admitted, ''We are.''

The girl smiled again. ''Don't worry, I really won't tell anyone about you and Tachibana-kun. I wish you the best of luck and I hope that the two of you will be very happy together.''

Haruka was actually pleasantly surprised that she took it so well, glad that she wasn't crying like that Kaori girl or angry or something. ''Thank you.''

''Well, I shouldn't hold you up any longer. Have a nice break,'' She said as she walked out of the room.

Haruka was alone now in the empty classroom. He grabbed his bag, quickly making his way to the roof, to Makoto.

Once he opended the door and stepped on the roof, he saw Makoto sitting in their usual spot, mindlessly picking at his food, looking like a kicked puppy. He looked up and when he saw Haruka his mood visibly brightened.

''Let me guess, she confessed to you?'' He asked as Haruka plopped down next to him.

''Yeah,'' Haruka said as he searched his bag for his lunchbox.

''So, what did you say? You rejected her, right?''

Haruka turned his head to look at Makoto. ''Are you serious? What do you think, you idiot?''

''Sorry, sorry! I guess I was just a little jealous, that's all.'' Makoto rubbed the nape of his neck awkwardly.

''Idiot,'' Haruka repeated, ''Is that why you were acting so weird? There's no need for you to be jealous.''

''I can't help it. I was afraid that she might steal you away from me. I understand her, though. You're just so beautiful and amazing, I'm afraid that you will find someone else, someone who's better for you than I am. That's why I can't help but feel jealous.''

Heat rushed towards Haruka's cheeks as he blushed profusely at Makoto's words. It wasn't as if Haruka didn't understand, because he feels the same. ''Idiot,'' He said again,'' Nobody will be able to steal me from you.''

''Likewise.'' Was the response he got and Makoto smirked at him. Haruka couldn't help but want to kiss that smirk off his face, so he did.

They quietly ate the rest of their lunches, and when they finished Makoto yawned.

''Bad night?'' Haruka asked.

''Yeah, kind of,'' Makoto sighed, ''I missed you at my side.''

Haruka put away his empty lunchbox and he patted his lap.

''What, really?''

''Just do it, Makoto. You're tired and we still have about twenty-five minutes left.''

''O-Okay,'' He stuttered and he shifted himself so that he was lying with his head on top of Haruka's thighs.

''I'll wake you up when it's time.''

Makoto smiled up at him. ''Thanks, Haru,'' He murmured as he closed his eyes.

Haruka started petting Makoto's hair, his fingers tangling in the thick, brown strands, which seemed to soothe him into sleep, his breath evening out.

Haruka looked down at the sleeping face of his boyfriend. Haruka brushed his bangs back and gently kissed Makoto's forehead, just above his eyebrow.

He pulled back and sighed, his eyes drinking in the beautiful sight. Haruka thought about how much he loved this guy, who was currently using his lap as a pillow, and how lucky he was to have been blessed with such an absolute angel.


	29. Exploring

**A/N: This chapter is nsfw.**

* * *

It was a Friday evening and Makoto and Haruka were in the latter's room. Haruka was sitting between Makoto's legs, his back pressed against Makoto's chest. Makoto's back was resting against the headboard of Haruka's bed, his arms wrapped around Haruka's waist and his hands placed over his toned abdomen.

The movie they had been watching - Makoto's pick this time - had just ended, and for now they were just cuddling.

Makoto tightened his grip around Haruka's waist, pulling him even closer as he buried his face in the other's neck. He kissed the soft skin sweetly, leaving a trail of kisses from Haruka's neck to his shoulder.

Makoto's lips tickled against his sensitive neck and Haruka raised his hand to tangle his fingers in Makoto's hair.

When Makoto pecked a particular spot just below his ear, warmth spread through his body, settling in his lower abdomen.

Haruka turned around to face Makoto and captured his lips. Their legs automatically rearranged themselves, Makoto's crossed underneath Haruka and Haruka's wrapped around Makoto's waist. Haruka was now seated in Makoto's lap once again as their lips were locked.

They opened their mouths and their tongues found each other, battling for dominance. Haruka's eventually won and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. He was starting to get aroused, he could feel heat pooling in his stomach. He ran his hands over Makoto's back as he could feel himself getting erect.

Makoto's hands were also roaming over his boyfriend's back, getting lower and lower. When Haruka felt hands cupping his ass cheeks through the thin sweatpants he was wearing, he gasped into Makoto's mouth, more surprised than anything else. Makoto quickly pulled his hands back and the tips of his ears turned red out of embarrassment.

''I'm so sorry, Haru,'' Makoto said, stumbling over his words, ''I don't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have. I-''

''Makoto,'' Haruka interrupted as he put his hand on Makoto's cheek to make him look up, ''Makoto. It's okay.''

''Okay?''

Haruka nodded, and as if to prove his point he grinded his ass down on Makoto's crotch, feeling his dick harden underneath his touch. He repeated this motion a few times until Makoto let out a breathy moan and a hand on his hip stilled his movement.

''Haru, are you sure you want this?'' Makoto asked, clearly restraining himself.

''I am,'' Haruka confirmed, ''I want this, with you. Unless you don't want to...''

''God, I want this,'' Makoto almost growled, ''I just don't want to force you to do anything you don't want or are not ready for. I want you to be comfortable.''

''Makoto,'' Haruka voiced, touched by his boyfriends thoughtfulness and caring, and he dived in and pressed his lips against Makoto's. Haruka resumed his grinding, rubbing his ass all over Makoto's cock. Makoto placed his hands on either side of Haruka's hips as he jerked his own forward.

Feeling Makoto's hard dick under his ass cheeks gave Haruka a pleasant feeling, pleased that he could provoke this kind of reaction from his boyfriend.

Makoto pulled back, but Haruka had no time to complain before he felt the other's sweet lips on his jawline. He ran his fingers through the soft, brown locks, gripping them a bit too tightly. He adjusted himself in Makoto's lap, now rubbing his clothed dick against Makoto's.

Makoto's hands found their way back to Haruka's ass, his fingers rubbing gentle circles on the soft flesh. His mouth was now exploring Haruka's neck. Haruka tilted his head backwards to grant Makoto access to more of his skin. Makoto felt Haruka's rapid pulse underneath his lips and he kissed it lovingly, as if he was thanking it, thankful that Haruka's heart was beating, that he was alive.

Haruka lifted the hem of Makoto's shirt, his hands feeling the hot skin underneath it. He ran his hands over Makoto's abs, feeling the tense muscles underneath his fingertips. Haruka moaned Makoto's name when he felt a hand squeezing his cheek, Makoto mouthing his adam's apple. Makoto's hands were now kneading the soft flesh of his behind, and Haruka was getting hotter and hotter with the second. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing his toned torso as he wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck, connecting their lips once again.

When Haruka pulled back he rested his forehead against Makoto's. Makoto's eyes were clouded with lust, his pupils dilated, his green irises almost completely disappearing, and his cheeks were flushed.

Makoto followed Haruka's lead and got rid of his own shirt. Haruka gulped audibily and he ran his hands over Makoto's muscular chest. Makoto raised his hand to brush Haruka's sweaty bangs out of his face. He cupped Haruka's cheek as he sighed.

''You're so beautiful, Haru.''

Haruka's face turned even darker than it already was and he averted his eyes shyly. ''Shut up,'' He muttered, but it only caused Makoto to chuckle.

''So cute,'' Makoto mumbled before pressing their lips together again.

Makoto caressed Haruka's chest, his fingers brushing over a nipple. Haruka bit his lip to prevent himself from whining when Makoto's fingertips were toying with his perky nub. His erection was throbbing between his legs and he rubbed down, seeking friction.

''Haru,'' Makoto breathily moaned.

''Mako- Ah!''

''Haru, can I touch you?''

''Please,'' Haruka whimpered.

Makoto trailed his hand down Haruka's body, placing it over his crotch. He palmed Haruka's dick through his pants, rubbing it slowly. Haruka leaned into Makoto's touch, breath coming out in short, shaky pants.

The heat inside his body was building up, his loose-fitting pants were getting too tight as he rubbed himself against Makoto's hand. As if on cue, Makoto reached for the hem of his sweatpants, pulling it and his boxers down in one swift movement, just enough to free Haruka's cock from its confinement. Haruka's dick stood proudly between his legs, a bead of precum shimmering on the head. Makoto thumbed the slit, spreading the drop over his head as he started stroking his shaft.

Haruka could feel himself getting closer and closer to the edge as Makoto's big hand was jerking him off, his grip firm yet gentle. His mind was hazy when he reminded himself that he was the only one that was being touched, that he was the only one receiving pleasure. He didn't want to be a selfish lover, he wanted to shower Makoto in affection as well, he wanted Makoto to feel the same amount of pleasure he was feeling.

He reached down between their bodies and grabbed Makoto's cock, stroking him through his pajama pants. Makoto moaned lowly and he crushed their lips together. Their tongues intertwined and Haruka reached inside Makoto's pants, pulling his dick out.

Makoto's cock was thick and heavy, and Haruka tried to figure out how to work this cock, not used to stroking in this position. He needed to figure out what the sensitive spots of this cock are, he wanted to know how he could best please this cock. He was sure that he would eventually learn everything there is to know about this cock, so for now he worked it like he always did himself, hoping that it would feel as good for Makoto as he felt right now.

The hand that wasn't occupied with Haruka's cock pulled down his own pants further, exposing his whole cock. The air that hung between them was heated and humid, yet it still felt cold to Makoto's hot dick.

Haruka glanced down between them, looking at his boyfriend's hard, flushed cock and his eyes widened in amazement.

''It's so big.'' Even bigger than he had expected, but he didn't voice this thought.

Makoto's hand moved, covering Haruka's on his dick as he held them both in his hand. They both cried out when their dicks touched, as Makoto stroked the both of them at the same time. Haruka started rocking his hips again, thrusting their dicks together in time with Makoto's hand. Every coherent thought left his head and he was sure he couldn't last much longer.

''Makoto,'' Haruka warned, '' I.. I'm gonna-''

Makoto's jerking became faster and slightly more rough, his other hand kneading his ass. ''Do it, Haru,'' Makoto encouraged, ''Come for me.''

The low tone of Makoto's voice was all Haruka needed to be pushed over the edge. Makoto stroked him through his orgasm as thick spurts of semen left the tip, splattering across their chests, Makoto's hand and dick.

Makoto's clean hand was softly petting Haruka's hair when he came down from his high.

''You okay?'' He asked softly.

''Hmm,'' Haruka mumbled and he leaned in to press their lips together sweetly.

When he pulled back, he realised that Makoto hadn't come yet.

''You're still hard,'' He remarked.

''It's okay, I can take care of it myself.''

''Makoto.'' Haruka gave him a disapproving look.

''You're right, Haru. Sorry.''

Haruka wrapped his slender fingers around Makoto's cock again, pumping him erratic and as fast as he could manage, using his own come to slicken him up.

It didn't take long until Makoto came as well, Haruka's name on his lips as strings of his seed joined Haruka's on their bodies.

Makoto was panting as he recovered, and he pulled Haruka closer, hugging him to himself. Their bodies were covered in sweat and release, but at that moment neither of them could find the strength to care.

''I love you,'' Makoto whispered next to Haruka's ear.

''I love you, too.'' Makoto pressed a kiss against Haruka's cheek.

''Do you want to take another bath?''

Haruka contemplated this for a second. Usually he would've said 'yes' immediately, he wouldn't turn a chance of being inside the water down, but he really didn't feel like getting up. He was too lazy, too tired to leave this spot, and honestly the only thing he needed right now was Makoto.

''No,'' He eventually sighed.

''Okay.'' Makoto pecked Haruka's forehead when Haruka rested the side of his head against Makoto's shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while, until they were both feeling too tired to properly function any longer.

''Want to go to sleep?'' Makoto asked.

''Yeah.''

Makoto gave Haruka a kiss on his lips before he lifted Haruka up and set him down beside him.

''Where are you going?'' Haruka asked when Makoto got up.

''We can't go to sleep like this.'' Was the only response he got.

After a few minutes Makoto returned, his chest clean and his pants back in place. He was holding a damp washcloth and he sat down next to Haruka. He gently grabbed Haruka's wrist and cleaned his hand. Then he cleaned Haruka's chest and stomach, wiping away the sweat and drying come. When he tried to clean Haruka's lower area, Haruka's hand stopped him. Makoto looked up at Haruka's face, only to see it turned away.

''I can clean that myself,'' Haruka uttered, his voice laced with embarrassment and his cheeks flushed.

''Oh! Uh, o-okay. Um, here.'' Makoto handed the washcloth over and he walked away awkwardly to put Haruka's laptop away.

When Haruka was done he tossed the washcloth away, joining their shirts on the floor. Makoto turned the lights off and sat back down next to his love, lifting the duvet so they could both climb underneath it.

They snuggled together and kissed each other.

''Good night, Haru.''

''Night, Makoto.''

After giving Makoto one last kiss he settled down, using Makoto's arm as a pillow. It didn't take long for Haruka to fall asleep, his breathing evening out.

Makoto smiled at the sight of his lover's sleeping face. He softly caressed Haruka's cheek and kissed his hair.

''Sweet dreams, beautiful,'' He whispered before falling asleep as well.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry this took a while; The following chapters are not written yet, so updates will take longer than they previously had. Also, I can't write smut.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	30. Fears

When Haruka woke up that morning, the first thing he noticed was that he didn't feel the weight of limbs sprawled over his body. Next, he noticed that he didn't feel another body pressed against his own. Then, he realised that he wasn't enveloped in the comfortable warmth that radiated Makoto's body.

He cracked open an eye, trying to get used to the light that entered his room through a gap between the curtains. He turned around to face Makoto, only to be greeted by the empty other half of his bed.

Panic immediately shot through his being, fully waking him within a second. Where's Makoto? Haruka usually woke up before him, and even on the rare occasion Makoto woke up first, he always waited for Haruka to wake up before he got out of bed.

Haruka told himself to calm down. Perhaps Makoto just went to the bathroom or something. He reached out to touch the spot Makoto previously occupied, feeling that the bed was already cold.

He sat up, looking around the room to see if he could catch a glimpse of his boyfriend, but he found none. The only thing he saw was that their shirts weren't lying on the floor anymore. His was lying on the end of his bed, but Makoto's shirt as well as the washcloth were gone.

His anxiety continued to grow and his thoughts only seemed to fuel his fears. Makoto wouldn't abandon him like this, would he?

He got out of bed and pulled on his shirt. He walked out of his bedroom into the hall, looking for his boyfriend.

''Makoto?'' he called, but he didn't get a response, only the echo of his voice sounded through the empty house.

He checked the bathroom, but found it empty.

Where did Makoto go? Why was he gone? Did Makoto regret what happened last night? Did he change his mind about being together with Haruka? Did he realise that he was straight after all? Makoto had said that he could take care of it himself, was that because the thought of Haruka touching him disgusted him? Did the thought of being intimate with Haruka, with another guy, turn him off?

Haruka continued searching through his house, looking for a trace of his lover, but he found none.

Had Makoto lied to him every time he told him he loved him? Had every single hug, every single kiss, every single touch been meaningless to him? Had Makoto's father been right all along, and had Makoto only used him to experiment and try out new things?

No, that couldn't be right. Makoto wouldn't do that to him. Makoto wouldn't hurt him like that, would he? Beautiful, kind, perfect Makoto wouldn't do something awful like that to him.

Haruka was standing in his living room now, helpless and lonely as tears were burning in his eyes. He had looked in every room of his house, but there wasn't even a sign that indicated that Makoto had been there; as if Makoto had never been here in the first place, as if he was merely a part of Haruka's delusion.

The thought that Makoto had left him, that Makoto didn't love him anymore and didn't want to be together with him anymore hurt more than he could've possibly imagined. Though they hadn't known each other for a very long time, Haruka had gotten so used to the other being around that the thought of being alone again was like a knife in his heart.

And even now, on the verge of despair with tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks, he couldn't bring himself to hate Makoto; in his eyes, Makoto was still the perfect guy he had fallen in love with, and he still loved him.

''Makoto...''

Then, he heard the front door open and close, and Makoto appeared in the doorway, clutching one of the straps of his backpack in his hand. When he saw Haruka, he smiled.

''Ah, good morning, Haru! I didn't think you'd be up-'' Makoto was interrupted by Haruka practically throwing himself at him, tightly wrapping his arms around his waist and he buried his head in Makoto's chest. ''-yet.''

Tears were now freely streaming down Haruka's face in relief, and he couldn't contain his sobs.

''Haru, what...?'' Makoto questioned, but when he realised Haruka was crying he dropped his bag and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's smaller frame, holding him close as he whispered soft reassurances in his ear.

''Hey, it's okay, Haru. Everything's okay,'' he murmured as he cupped the back of Haruka's head with a large hand, threading his fingers through the soft black strands as he petted his hair. ''It's okay, I'm here, you're okay.''

The quiet whispers managed to calm Haruka down to a certain point. He hiccuped into the firm muscles of Makoto's chest, his tears soaking Makoto's shirt, but the other didn't even seem to notice it, too engrossed in comforting his lover. And comforting he did.

Haruka's sobbing subdued after a little while and Makoto pressed a kiss against his raven locks.

''Haru, what's wrong?'' he asked when Haruka's grip on him tightened even more.

Haruka lifted his head a little. The sight of the beautiful blue eyes he loved so much all red and watery broke Makoto's heart.

''I...'' Haruka hesistantly began, ''I thought you...'' he trailed off, biting his lip and averting his eyes, but those few words were enough for Makoto to catch the meaning of the words Haruka hadn't said.

''Oh, Haru!'' he sighed as he pulled Haruka back into his chest. ''I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry.''

Haruka didn't say anything in response, he just sighed into Makoto's chest.

''Haru,'' Makoto said to make Haruka look up. When he did, Makoto cupped his face with his palm and caressed Haruka's cheek with his thumb, softly wiping the tears away. ''I love you, Haru, I really do. And I won't leave you until you no longer want me around. I'll leave the moment you tell me to, but before that, I'm not going anywhere. Please don't forget that.''

''Idiot,'' Haruka mumbled as he averted his eyes once again, a small blush adorning his face. ''I love you, too.''

Makoto kissed Haruka's forehead and wrapped his arms back around him. Haruka gently squeezed his boyfriend's waist.

Haruka was glad to be held by these arms, these arms that held him gentle and lovingly, these arms he was afraid of losing. Being buried in Makoto's larger torso made him feel warm, it made him feel safe. Knowing that this place, this place in Makoto's arms was his, knowing that this was what home felt like, brought comfort to his heart. A type of comfort he never wanted to lose.

''Where were you?'' Haruka asked quietly.

''Hmm? Oh! I went home to fetch a few things,'' Makoto gestured at his backpack that lay on the floor beside them, ''And I didn't want to wake you up; you were looking so peaceful and I didn't want to disturb you. I thought I wouldn't be gone for long, that I'd be back within a few minutes. I expected you to still be asleep, else I would've left a note. I'm sorry, Haru. I really didn't mean to scare you like that.''

''I know. It's okay,'' Haruka muttered, ''What did you need to get in the first place?''

Makoto chuckled lightly, and he lifted his hand to push Haruka's hair back behind his ear. ''Well, today's supposed to be a hot day, and I thought it might be nice to go to the beach.''

''The beach?'' Haruka questioned, his eyes practically sparkling.

Makoto nodded. ''Would you like that?''

''Yeah.''

Makoto smiled at him.

Then, they heard a little mewl coming from below them. They broke their gaze to glance at the source of the noise. Mashiro was at their feet, begging for attention. When she knew she had been noticed by the boys, she starting meowing even louder, which made them laugh a little.

''Good morning to you as well,'' Makoto said to the kitten before turning back to his boyfriend. ''She wasn't up either when I left.''

He kissed the tip of Haruka's nose. ''Why don't you go wash up, and I'll take care of that little monster?''

Mashiro meowed as if she was offended, not pleased by being called 'little monster'.

''I'm sorry, I meant to say 'sweetheart'.''

While Makoto's face was turned towards Mashiro, Haruka took the opportunity and pecked him softly on the cheek before releasing him.

''I'll wait here, okay?''

''Mh-hmm, I'll make us breakfast when I'm back.''

Makoto didn't even have to ask to know that they were having mackerel, but for once he didn't mind his boyfriend's eating habits. He bend down to pick the little kitten up and he nuzzled their noses together, making Mashiro purr in delight as she was carried to the kitchen. Makoto filled the bowl on the floor with cat food and he played with the ball of fur, waiting for his boyfriend to return.


	31. Surprising

When Haruka returned he made the both of them breakfast as promised. After sharing a quiet meal together, Makoto went upstairs to change into his swimsuit, Haruka already wearing his.

They gathered everything they needed and went to the genkan to put on their slippers. Haruka's hand was already on the doorknob when he heard Makoto speak.

''Oh, wait! I forgot something!''

Haruka turned around to him with a slight scowl on his face. ''What is it?'' he asked, trying not to sound too annoyed. He just wanted to get to the ocean already. It had been way too long since he had been able to soak in something bigger than his bathtub, and he just wanted to feel the water already, having missed out on his morning session with the water. Even if he would never admit it, he was actually really excited to go swimming with Makoto. His favourite person and his favourite element at once, what more could he ask for? But the fact that Makoto was only postponing it by forgetting something made him feel a little frustrated.

''This.''

Makoto stepped closer to him and took his hand, gently locking his lips with Haruka's. The other's eyes went wide in surprise, but closed them as he started kissing back, giving Makoto's hand a soft squeeze.

He didn't expect that Makoto meant this when he mentioned something he'd forgotten, but he definitely wasn't complaining; he's more than willing to give up a minute submerged in the sea if he gets to feel his boyfriend's sweet lips against his.

The kiss was just a chaste one and it left Haruka hungry for more, but he decided that he would indulge himself in that desire later.

Makoto pulled back, the smile that was painting his features made Haruka's heart skip a beat.

''There, all done,'' he beamed as he picked up the previously discarded backpack. ''We can go now.''

Haruka's lips curled upwards at the absolute sweetness of his boyfriend, and he turned around to open the front door. He locked the door when they both were outside, knowing that if he didn't Makoto would scold him.

Makoto adjusted his hold on Haruka's hand, entwining their fingers as they descended the stone stairs. Makoto insisted that he carried their luggage, and Haruka gave in, knowing that he couldn't change his boyfriend's mind once it was set on something.

The closer they came to the beach, the more Haruka's eagerness to be a part of the ocean grew. The scent of the salty sea filled his nostrils and he impatiently tugged on Makoto's hand, making the other chuckle lightly.

When they reached the beach, they saw that the place was packed with people. Everywhere they looked they saw families sitting underneath a parasol, toddlers building sandcastles, teens playing with a beach ball or children collecting shells on the shore. The sea itself was a little less crowded, but still a fair share of people were enjoying the waves.

''I didn't expect that we'd be the only ones here, but I didn't expect it to be this crowded either,'' Makoto frowned, knowing that Haruka wasn't really fond of crowds.

''It's okay,'' Haruka said as he led Makoto to the side of the beach.

''Where are we going?'' the other asked, apparently expecting them to find a place among the sea of people.

''A more quiet spot. There's this place I always go in the summer to avoid others.''

Makoto couldn't surpress a tiny giggle.

They had to walk for a while, but it was all worth it when they reached a more secluded area of the beach, surrounded by rocks. All the other beach-goers were on the other side of the beach, leaving the two of them by themselves.

Honestly, it relieved Haruka. Up until last year this had remained a spot no one visited beside himself, but there was always a chance that someone else found the beauty of this place beside the ocean. Here where the sea was sparkling without the bodies of humans, where the sand was warm and soft without any footprints beside their own. Here where the only sounds were the waves lapping at the shore and the soft breeze blowing through their ears.

As soon as Makoto set down his backpack Haruka began stripping, having already tossed his shirt away, about to throw away his pants and he went to make a run towards the ocean when he felt a hand on his bicep. He turned to Makoto and was met with a disapproving look, his boyfriend already having foreseen his actions.

''Where do you think you're going?''

Haruka frowned. What does it look like? ''To the sea?''

''No, you're not.''

He frowned even harder, clearly confused at his boyfriend's words. ''Yes, I am.''

''No, you're not,'' Makoto repeated. ''Not without putting on sunscreen first.''

Haruka sighed and rolled his eyes. He should have been expecting this, but he hadn't. His mind had been too preoccupied with thoughts of endless blue engulfing him, both body and soul. He knew that Makoto wasn't going to drop this, that he was just concerned, so he sighed again, signalling that he wasn't going to flee.

''Fine.''

Makoto smiled at him again and released him. He opened his backpack and laid down two towels next to each other. Then, he went to take off his own clothes. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing the muscular torso Haruka loved so much. Then, he slipped out of his flip flops, set them to the side and went to loosen his belt, taking off his jeans in the process.

When Makoto was standing in front of him in just his swimsuit - black and green legskins that matched his black and purple jammers - Haruka allowed himself to drink in the sight of Makoto's beautiful body.

The way the swimsuit hugged his perfectly sculpted legs, how it wrapped around his firm, round ass, how it showed the large bulge at the front. Haruka's eyes lingered on the big tent in Makoto's legskins before he snapped out of it, continuing to trail his eyes over the rest of Makoto's body. Over his chiseled abs, his toned chest, his muscular arms, his gorgeous face. In Haruka's mind, Makoto really was the defenition of aesthetic.

His eyes trailed down again, beginning their journey all over again.

''Um, Haru?''

When he looked up, he saw that Makoto was already holding out the bottle of sunscreen to him. He stared at it as if it were alien, until Makoto withdrew his arm.

''Come here, I'll do it.''

Haruka shrugged and did as he was told. Makoto popped the cap off the bottle and squeezed some of the cream onto his palm. He gently took Haruka's hand and stretched his arm out, silently telling him to hold it out like this. Haruka obeyed as Makoto began to spread the sunscreen over his arm, rubbing it into his skin fast but ever so gentle. Then, he moved on to the other arm, and when he was done with that one as well, he applied it to Haruka's chest and belly. Haruka's breath hitched and he tensed when Makoto's fingertips softly traced his sensitive skin, causing Makoto to freeze for a second before continuing as if nothing had happened.

Next was Haruka's back, that was a little less sensitive. The way Makoto massaged the cream into his back felt really good and he closed his eyes to enjoy it to its full potential.

Then, he suddenly felt Makoto's fingers on his ears, and it made a shiver run down Haruka's spine. The back of Makoto's left hand lifted Haruka's bangs out of his forehead and his right hand smeared a bit of cream on the place they previously rested. He continued applying the sunscreen on Haruka's cheeks, gently rubbing it into his skin. He dipped his index finger into the cream that rested in his palm and trailed his fingertip over Haruka's nose, leaving a big drop on the tip of his nose.

Makoto chuckled when Haruka pouted, and he cradled his face in his hands, placing a soft kiss upon his lips.

''I'm sorry, Haru,'' he giggled, ''But I just couldn't help myself. You just look so cute!''

Haruka blushed and he averted his eyes, lifting his hand to his face to spread the drop of sunscreen over the rest of his nose.

Makoto kneeled before him to put the cream on his knees, calves and shins. Then, he lifted Haruka's foot, applying a bit of cream on top of it before lifting the other and giving it the same treatment.

He got back up, nodding at Haruka. ''Okay, Haru, you're free to-''

Before Makoto could finish his sentence, Haruka shot past him and a loud splash! could be heard.

''-go now.''

When Haruka resurfaced, he could hear Makoto's laugh from a little distance, making the butterflies in his stomach multiply as the sound ringed pleasantly through his ears.

He swam a little further into the ocean, his arms moving in long, graceful strokes as he cut through the water.

How he had missed the feeling of the cold, salty water enveloping his being. It had been way too long since he had been able to feel this blissful sensation of being completely covered by the water. Though he had spent his time using his bathtub as a substitute, it just couldn't compare to the real thing; the beautiful, glistering sea.

He opened his eyes and he looked around himself, searching for his defenition of perfection. He noticed Makoto was still on the shore, and he swam a little closer, wanting to see what took Makoto so long. He just wanted Makoto to join him already, he couldn't wait to be surrounded by his two sources of happiness at the same.

When he got a little closer, he saw that his boyfriend was actually struggling with putting on the sunscreen. He was moving his arms in weird ways, trying to put the cream on his back, but it just wasn't working. Haruka smiled a little at his boyfriend's struggle and he decided that he was going to put him out of his misery.

He swam back to the coast, shaking his head from side to side to get the water out of his hair. He walked over to Makoto and took the bottle from him.

''Haru?'' Makoto questioned, ''What are you doing?''

''Returning the favour,'' Haruka plainly answered as he squeezed a bit of sunscreen on his hand.

He ran his hands over Makoto's back, secretly enjoying it. It's true that he wanted Makoto to hurry up and join him, but he also wanted to help him out where he could, as Makoto always helped him. The fact that he got to touch him was just a really nice bonus.

When he was done he took Makoto's hand in his and he dashed towards the waves, pulling Makoto along with him.

Haruka threw himself into the water, hearing Makoto chuckle at his eagerness behind him. The water rippled from the presence beside him, and honestly, Haruka couldn't be happier right now. He had the two loves of his life right beside him and he was overjoyed.

He ceased swimming and turned around to float on his back. Makoto was standing a little further away, looking absolutely awe-struck.

''Makoto,'' he called, snapping his boyfriend out of it. Makoto swam over to Haruka, a beautiful smile lighting up his face and his eyes practically sparkled.

''Sorry, Haru,'' Makoto said, ''It's just...'' He sighed dreamily, the look in his green eyes could only be described as pure love. ''You're so beautiful.''

The butterflies from before shot through Haruka's body again. Though he usually didn't get embarrassed easily, it was hard not to feel flustered when Makoto was staring at him like that and when the words he spoke were so genuine.

Haruka wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist and he leaned up a little, softly pressing their lips together in response to Makoto's statement. He sighed into Makoto's mouth when he felt Makoto's arms wrapping around his back, and he tilted his head to deepen their kiss.

Being inside the water while being held by Makoto, his lips upon his, was like heaven for Haruka. The contrast of being inside the cold water but also being pressed against Makoto's warm body sent shivers down his spine. He knew that this was what true happiness was like.

How could Haruka have doubted Makoto like he had earlier? The way he looked at Haruka as if he was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon, the way he held him protectively and gently, making him feel safe and loved at the same time, the way he kissed him oh so passionately, his plush lips conveying all the feelings he had for him; it was just so obvious that he loved Haruka immensely. Haruka felt silly for letting his fears blind him, because it was clear as day that Makoto cared about him just as much as he cared about Makoto.

Haruka pulled back, ending their kiss as he rested his head against Makoto's shoulder.

''I love you,'' he murmured softly, but he knew for sure that Makoto would hear him.

Makoto ran his fingers up and down Haruka's spine as he whispered, ''I love you, Haru.''

Haruka pressed his lips against Makoto's collarbone, tasting the salty water on his skin. In response, he felt a kiss being placed on top of his head. For some reason, Makoto kissed his head and his hair a lot. For a second, he wondered why, but then he came to the conclusion that it probably was the easiest to reach for Makoto.

After giving Makoto's shoulder another kiss, Haruka released him. He let himself fall sidewards, deeper into the water, Makoto automatically following him.

They swam side by side peacefully, Makoto in a powerful backstroke, and Haruka in an ever elegant front crawl.

Haruka stopped swimming after a while in favour of floating, when he saw Makoto's stroke. Seeing the strong arms he loved so much being used to propel the gorgeous body he held dear through the sparkling blue ocean made his heart pound ten times faster than normally inside his chest.

He was so delighted that he was able to share this moment with Makoto. He was glad that the water had accepted Makoto, like it had always accepted him. It wasn't that odd, he thought, because for him, Makoto and he were like two halves of a whole. How could the water accept one half but decline the other? And even if that wasn't the case, there was just no possibility anyone or anything could reject Makoto; he was Makoto after all.

They continued swimming for a few hours, quietly admiring each other's forms, until Makoto proposed they'd get some lunch at the restaurant a little further down the beach. Though Haruka was reluctant to leave the water, even if only for a little while, he had to admit he was pretty hungry, so he agreed.

They went back to their stuff, dried off their hair and chests a little, gathering the things they needed to take with them. They decided that it would be safe enough to leave their towels here. After putting on their slippers again, they walked towards the beach restaurant.

As they were walking, their shoulders occasionally bumped together, until Makoto took his hand, intertwining their fingers. Haruka gave his hand a little squeeze before rubbing little circles on Makoto's hand with his thumb.

The walk to the beach restaurant took them about twenty minutes, and once they approached it, they let go of each other's hand.

Inside, they seated themselves at one of the empty wooden tables and a waiter approached them, handing them the menu. The waiter, a guy that looked to be around twenty, asked them if they wanted to have anything to drink; Makoto ordered a coke and surprisingly, Haruka ordered water.

Once the waiter returned with their chosen beverages, he asked them if they had been able to make a decision. Makoto ordered for the both of them and handed the man the menus back.

The waiter left, leaving the two of them by themselves. A comfortable silence fell between the two of them. Haruka slowly reached out to Makoto's hand and he started to play with his fingers. Makoto beamed at him and they waited together until their food arrived.

They were forced to let go of each other's hands when the waiter returned, giving Haruka a bit of a double feeling. He didn't want to let go of Makoto yet, but they couldn't eat with their hands entwined, and he did want to eat his mackerel, so he had no other option.

When they were alone again, Makoto started to fill the silence with small talk. Haruka listened attentively while he took small bites of his food.

Then, Haruka suddenly had a strange feeling inside his gut and it gave him goosebumps - and not the good kind. He felt watched, and it wasn't Makoto's adoring gaze he felt.

He looked around himself, and he confirmed his suspicions. A few tables away from them sat a group of girls, seemingly around their age. When the girls noticed Haruka looking back at them they quickly turned their heads, giggling and gossiping among themselves. Haruka's frown in response to the girls didn't go unnoticed by Makoto.

''Haru?'' he questioned as he followed Haruka's glare. Makoto's gaze crossed those of the ogling girls, the girls nodded to each other before three of them got up and approached them.

Haruka sighed audibly and he mentally prepared himself for the worst.

''Hi!'' one of the girls began. She had long black hair that fell beside her huge breasts, which she was practically shoving in their faces. It made Haruka sick to his stomach.

''So, we noticed that you guys were all by yourselves,'' she continued, ''And we thought that you might like some company!'' She threw her locks behind her back with her hand as she blinked, her lashes fluttering over her dark brown eyes, in an attempt to look seductive and sexy.

Honestly, her behaviour made Haruka feel like throwing up. The way she and the other girls were running their eyes over their bodies made him very uncomfortable and angry at the same time. It's not that he didn't understand why the girls were ogling Makoto, because let's be real Makoto was probably one of the hottest people to ever scrape the surface of earth, but that didn't mean that he liked or appreciated it.

It was his fault as well, in a way; he should have made sure that the both of them had put on their shirts before they came here. But, the thought hadn't crossed his mind, and honestly, he liked staring at Makoto. Though, he felt as if he and only he was allowed to stare at Makoto's body. He didn't like to admit it, even to himself, but he thought of Makoto as his.

On second thought, he doubted that putting on a shirt would help Makoto's case; he looks illegal regardless.

''We're fine,'' Haruka sneered at the unreserved girl, hoping she would get the message and go away.

The girl turned to him and raised an eyebrow. ''Whatever, Tsun-kun.''

She turned back to Makoto, her arms pressing her breasts together as she licked her pink lips. ''Anyway, we thought that two guys alone wouldn't be much fun,'' she glared at Haruka from the corner of her eyes, who was glaring right back at her. ''And we wanted to ask you if you'd like to join us.'' She ran her eyes hungrily over Makoto's body again.

Everything about this girl aggravated Haruka. Her way of talking, how she carried herself, how she tried to seduce _his_ Makoto. This girl made Haruka's blood boil.

Haruka wasn't used to sharing. He was an only child and he didn't have any friends as a kid, so he never had to share, and he sure as hell wasn't going to start now. He didn't even want to share as much as a hair of Makoto with this chick, because Makoto was _his_ and his alone.

''Thanks, but no thanks,'' said Makoto, ''We're fine.''

The girl let out a frustrated little huff, but quickly regained her composure. ''Are you sure?'' she asked whilst shooting Makoto a look. ''We could have so much fun together!''

Haruka saw Makoto's eyebrow twitch a bit in annoyance. He turned to the girl with a smile on his face, but it wasn't like his usual gentle smiles, this smile was different and Haruka had never seen it before. ''No, really,'' he insisted as he reached out to take Haruka's hand, his fingers lacing together with Haruka's. ''We've got everything we need right here.''

The girl clicked her tongue and she walked away offendedly, swaying her hips as if she tried to show them what they could've had. One of the other girls quickly followed her, but the other one lingered behind, giving them an apologetic smile. Her hair was put up in a ponytail and she had freckles on her nose and cheeks.

''Um.. I'm,'' she stuttered. ''We're really sorry for bothering you.'' She bowed to them. ''Have a nice day, bye!''

Before they could respond, the girl was gone, having already gone back to her group of friends. They heard the first girl loudly exclaim ''UGH! Why do all the hot guys have to be gay?!''

Makoto turned back to Haruka, who was slightly pouting. ''Are you okay, Haru?''

When Haruka looked at him a bit confused, he explained. ''They made you uncomfortable.''

''I'm fine,'' sighed Haruka, ''Are you?''

''Yeah, I'm fine.'' Makoto smiled at him, a gentle smile that belonged on Makoto's face. ''We should continue eating, though, the food's getting cold.''

Haruka nodded and they did as Makoto had suggested.

After a few minutes of eating in silence, Haruka felt something big and warm nudge his foot. He looked up and was met with a shy smile and gentle green eyes that were seeking for approval.

The corners of his lips curled upwards in a tiny smile and in response to Makoto's unspoken question he placed his foot on top of Makoto's, letting his toes run against Makoto's ankle.

Makoto's grin widened and he tilted his head a little, letting his eyes fall shut as an expression of euphoria took over his face.

They softly rubbed their feet together, small blushes dusting both of their cheeks. They were staring intently into each other's eyes when suddenly Makoto chuckled.

Haruka looked at him questioningly, and Makoto explained.

''You have a little sauce there,'' he said as he reached forward, grazing the tip of his finger over the corner of Haruka's mouth. He retreated his hand, lifting his finger to his own mouth and he cleaned it, sucking on it lightly before he smiled at Haruka again.

Haruka's cheeks flushed and he averted his eyes, though he didn't stop caressing Makoto's feet with his own.

When they were done eating, Makoto insisted that he paid. Haruka protested for a little while, since Makoto paid for the both of them last time, but he knew it was pointless; Makoto always got his way.

As they walked along the beach back to their spot, Haruka asked Makoto why he insisted on paying, even though he already knew the answer.

''Because I wanted to.''

Makoto's smiling face was so pure and bright that Haruka had to look away, afraid of being permanently blinded by his angel.

He took Makoto's hand in his and fastened his pace, wanting to return to their spot and therefore the water as quickly as possible. Makoto's words of him not going to swim until after thirty minutes no matter how fast he got there didn't quite reach Haruka's ears.

Arriving at their place, Makoto made Haruka wait ten minutes or so before he let him return to the water, and even Haruka's biggest pout couldn't change his boyfriend's mind.

After Makoto told him it was okay to go, he ran back towards the sea as if he were at the airport, running towards his lover that had just returned home after being at war for two years. That idea made Makoto laugh a little as he followed after Haruka, albeit a little slower.

They spent the rest of the day altering between swimming and floating hand-in-hand.

Once the sun was beginning to set, Haruka finally emerged from the water after hours of swimming. Makoto was already on the shore, have ceased swimming a little earlier than he had.

Makoto was waiting for him with a towel, wrapping it around Haruka's body as soon as he got close enough. Haruka accepted the towel and felt another being draped over his head, Makoto's large hands resting on top of it as he helped to dry Haruka's hair.

When he was done, he removed the towel and sat back down, Haruka joining him.

''Had a nice swim?'' Makoto asked him when they were both seated.

Haruka nodded and Makoto smiled the smile that was for Haruka alone. ''I'm glad.''

Makoto stretched out to grab his backpack, and he rummaged through it for a while before he turned back to Haruka.

''Haru,'' he murmured softly, making Haruka look up at him. ''Happy birthday!''

Haruka's eyes widened when he heard that phrase and he was handed a small, black box with a red ribbon on top of it.

He had completely forgotten it was his birthday today. Ever since his grandmother died, he had been alone every year on his birthday, and after a few years he didn't even think about his birthday anymore. It wasn't as if he had anyone to celebrate it with or anyone to remind him of it, and as the days blended together, his birthday went by forgotten and unnoticed.

But now, he was at the beach with the man he loved, the sun was slowly setting as he was handed a present. The thought alone made his heart flutter inside his chest, and he couldn't believe it was really happening right now.

''You didn't have to buy me a present,'' he muttered, not knowing what else to say.

''I know,'' Makoto responded, ''But I wanted to.''

Haruka opened the box. Inside lay a silver keychain, shaped like a dolphin. He looked up to glance at Makoto, who's gaze was averted.

''I really didn't know what to get you, though,'' Makoto started, rubbing his neck as if he were embarrassed with himself. ''I mean, I know it's not much a-and it's okay if you don't like it...''

''Makoto,'' Haruka interrupted Makoto's rambling. When Makoto looked back at him, he saw the cute and genuine smile that stretched Haruka's lips.

''I love it. Thank you.''

''Haru...'' Makoto uttered, before smiling himself.

Haruka closed the box, not wanting his gift to be damaged in any shape, way or form. He set it down beside himself as he scooted closer to Makoto, placing a soft kiss upon his lips in gratitude, a silent 'thank-you'.

''I love you,'' he whispered against Makoto's mouth.

Makoto smiled and pecked him back. ''I love you, too.''

Haruka sat back down, leaning his head on Makoto's shoulder, resting his hand on Makoto's leg. Makoto leaned his head on top of Haruka's in response, wrapping his arm around Haruka's back and he held Haruka's hand in his.

Together, they watched the sun slowly sink into the sea.

Though the sun hadn't completely disappeared yet, it was getting kind of chilly, so they had to put their clothes back on. Makoto suggested that they should head back, but that they could walk through the water. Haruka smiled inwardly at Makoto's thoughtfulness.

They packed up their stuff and Makoto slung one of the straps of his backpack over his shoulder, his other hand entwining with Haruka's.

They walked back home, the water pleasantly cold against their feet and ankles.

When they were about halfway, Makoto suddenly ceased walking. He stopped before Haruka, making the other stop as well. Haruka looked up at Makoto's face questioningly.

The seabreeze was soflty blowing through Makoto's hair and the sky was a soft orange hue, the sun illuminating his face. The sight made Haruka's heart skip a beat, and by the look on Makoto's face, his probably did too.

Makoto loosely wrapped his arms around Haruka's waist and he stared intently into Haruka's blue eyes.

Haruka quickly looked around them, and when he confirmed that the two of them were indeed the only ones left on the beach, he nodded.

Makoto smiled at him before slowly leaning down, closing his eyes as he captured Haruka's lips with his own. Haruka kissed him back passionately, applying a gentle pressure as he wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck, pulling him closer as his slender fingers curled into the soft strands of hair that rested on Makoto's nape.

He felt Makoto's lips part against his, so he followed Makoto's lead and parted his as well, tentatively touching Makoto's tongue with his. He moved one of his hands, cupping Makoto's cheek as their tongues massaged one another.

They were both slightly out of breath when they parted. Makoto brought one of his hands up to run his fingers through Haruka's raven locks as Haruka's hand joined the other on Makoto's neck.

''I've always wanted to do that,'' Makoto admitted. Haruka didn't need to ask to know what he meant.

''Since when are you such a romantic sap?'' he asked, though a hint of joke and amusement could be heard in his voice.

''Hmm,'' Makoto thought out loud, ''Since the day I met you.''

Haruka's cheeks burned a cute pink at Makoto's unexpected words and he looked away, what made Makoto chuckle.

''You're so beautiful, Haru,'' he said as he ran his fingers through his hair again.

Haruka looked back up at Makoto and was met with a genuine and innocent smile. ''You say that a lot.''

''Because it's true,'' replied Makoto quickly, as if there wasn't any other answer possible.

Haruka huffed as the colour of his cheeks turned a shade darker. ''Idiot.''

Makoto grinned and kissed the top of Haruka's head. ''Shall we continue? It'll probably be dark soon.''

''Yeah.''

They let each other go and linked their hands together again as they resumed walking back to Haruka's place.

''Are you staying over?'' Haruka asked when they were climbing the stone steps to their houses.

''Is that okay with you?''

''Sure.'' _Definitely._

Makoto lifted their entwined hands to his face and pressed a light kiss against the back of Haruka's hand.

Haruka unlocked the front door when they arrived at his house, locking it behind him as they both entered.

''Do you need to call home?'' asked Haruka when they went inside together.

''No, they already know I won't be home tonight.''

Haruka turned around to look at Makoto. ''You planned this?''

''Kind of,'' Makoto answered sheepishly.

Haruka furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Makoto sceptically, hints of amusement lacing his voice. ''What if I said no?''

Makoto snorted at that. ''Was there a possibility that you were going to say no?''

Haruka narrowed his eyes, and he turned back around. ''Fair enough.''

He heard Makoto laugh at that, and he couldn't surpress a little smile himself. Makoto really knew too much.

* * *

After they both took a shower and ate a late dinner Haruka whipped up, they decided to go to bed. Haruka had secretly hoped that they would end this perfect day with a little bit of adult fun, but they were both really tired, and all Haruka craved right now was his bed and Makoto's arms around him.

Haruka was stepping inside his bed when Makoto walked in, having just finished using the bathroom. When he saw that Haruka was already settled, he turned off the lights before cautiously making his way through the dark room. He felt around the bed for the duvet, lifting it so he could crawl inside.

As soon as Makoto was lying next to him, Haruka wrapped his arms around him, throwing his leg over Makoto's. Makoto smiled at him before he returned his embrace, pulling him a little closer.

''Makoto.''

''Hmm?''

''Thanks for today.'' Haruka leaned up a little to peck Makoto's nose.

Makoto's lips curled upwards as he ran his hand up and down Haruka's arm, softly caressing his bare skin.

''There's no need to thank me Haru,'' he said. ''Did you have fun?''

''Mh-hmm.''

''I'm glad. I had fun, too.''

Makoto yawned and he kissed Haruka's forehead sweetly. ''We should probably go to sleep. I'm tired.''

''Yeah. Me too.''

Their lips met each other halfway in a tender kiss.

''Good night, Makoto,'' Haruka murmured as he buried his face in Makoto's chest.

''Sleep well, Haru,'' Makoto whispered back before adding ''Happy birthday.''

Haruka smiled into Makoto's muscles as he drifted off to sleep. Makoto snaked his arm around Haruka's waist and he nuzzled Haruka's hair before falling asleep himself.


	32. Researching

I have risen from the grave to bring you the next chapter! But in all seriousness, I'm really sorry this took so long!

I hope you enjoy!

This chapter contains nsfw moments.

* * *

Summer vacation rolled around the corner and Haruka was lying in his bathtub, idly playing with the soapy water. Makoto was at some sort of family event a couple of towns away. He had left that morning and wouldn't be back until tomorrow evening, so Haruka was left to spend his time like he did before he met Makoto; soaking in the bath.

It wasn't a huge crisis that they were separated right now, as they couldn't spend every living moment of their lives together, no matter how much he wanted to, it just wasn't possible. He was going to have to get used to this, he supposed. Makoto was still his own person with his own life, and so was he. But even though this wasn't the end of the world, admittedly Haruka missed his boyfriend a little.

Luckily he wasn't a person who absolutely dreaded being alone, as he was someone who still needed time for himself, but for some reason it always felt different with Makoto. Rather than someone imposing on his alone-time, with Makoto it felt as if he was completed and he didn't crave being alone like he would have in company of anyone else. Then again, he did still crave time with the water, and unfortunately he couldn't always have both at the same time; even if it was summer, they couldn't go to the pool or the beach every single day, and they hadn't quite reached the stage in their relationship yet where he invited Makoto into the bathroom with him. Not that he would mind it, regardless of whether or not he was wearing his swimsuit, but Haruka wasn't quite sure how Makoto would respond to him asking him. He might think it's weird if Haruka suddenly proposed it, so for now he settled for submerging whenever they were apart.

Besides, it wasn't as if Makoto would be gone for that long. He'd last seen him yesterday and they would meet again the day after tomorrow. It was only two days; that was _nothing_. Surely times were going to come where they would be apart for longer than that, even if he didn't want to think about it. He used to be alone all the time, so two days shouldn't be a problem for him at all, even if he had seen Makoto pretty much every day since he met him. He still found it remarkable how fast he had gotten attached to Makoto, how quickly and deeply he had fallen in love with him. But that can't really be helped; he was Makoto after all.

Haruka let out a sigh as he sank lower into the tub, his knees poking out of the water. He mindlessly ran his hand along the surface of the lukewarm water, making ripples as bits of the soap stuck to his fingers. Then he made a fist and lifted it to his face, slowly unclenching it until only his thumb and index finger were connected in an 'o' shape, the water and soap trapped in it. Slightly parting his lips, he softly blew against his hand, creating a bubble that grew larger and larger. When he thought it was big enough, he closed the opening and turned his hand, making the bubble rest on his palm. With another puff of air the bubble was blown off his hand and fluttered on top of the water. He repeated this motion when the bubble popped, and his mind started to drift back to messy brown hair, beautiful emerald eyes, soft wet lips, Makoto...

About a fortnight had gone by since Makoto and he had started to explore new territory in their relationship, since they had first touched each other intimately. Since then they had touched each other again on multiple occasions, but they never went beyond that initial touch. Makoto never tried to go further and Haruka was always swept away before he could even think about trying anything different. And though he absolutely loved coming undone by Makoto's gentle yet skillful hands, unraveling Makoto with his own smaller, delicate ones, Haruka knew he wanted more. He wanted their bodies to be joined; to be connected not only by their hearts, minds, and souls, but physically too. He wanted to make love with Makoto.

The bubble he had been blowing snapped, making drops of the soapy water hit his face. He took that as his cue to stop. Instead, he started to draw patterns on the surface as his thought process continued.

He knew that in order to take things to the next level he needed to step up and verbalise his feelings to Makoto. This was something they needed to discuss, and he needed to bring it up, as he couldn't just expect Makoto to get what he wanted by reading his mind. Communication was the key in every relationship after all. Now, he didn't think Makoto would reject or oppose to his idea; he simply couldn't see why. He knew Makoto loved him and was interested in him sexually, so it was plausible that he wanted it too. Then again, if he wasn't ready for it yet then that was fine as well; Haruka would gladly wait for him.

So assuming that Makoto would accept his request, that was just the easiest part of all of this. Then came the problem of the actual intercourse. They were both men, and that would make things a little more complicated. Haruka wasn't ignorant; he got the gist of it, but surely it's more complex than that. It wasn't a matter of just saying ''let's have sex!'' and diving between the bedsheets.

No, there were a lot of other things they needed to keep in mind. Like who would top and who would bottom. Even if the most reasonable assumption was that they would switch, there was always the issue of the first time. If he were to be completely honest, he'd admit that he wanted to bottom. He wanted to cling to those broad shoulders as Makoto would kiss every inch of his skin. He wanted to feel his warm breath as Makoto would caress every part of his body. He wanted to be held by those strong arms as Makoto would take him, feeling like his heart was about to burst with all the love seeping out of his pores.

Again, even if he wanted to feel Makoto's burning love with every fiber of his being, this was still something they needed to talk about.

Besides the things they would have to talk about, there were also other things they needed to think and know about. Stuff like preparation and such. Because even if Haruka got the general idea of all of it, this was going to be his first time - _their_ first time - and he was clearly uneducated on the subject and basically knew nothing. If he wanted their first time to be as pleasurable and as painless as possible, then he needed to do something about that. Perhaps doing some research beforehand wasn't such a bad idea.

Making up his mind, Haruka unplugged the bathtub and got up, letting the water slide down his body before he stepped out. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his naked body. For a while he just stood there, his mind blank as he waited for his skin to dry. He snapped out of it then, and he started to properly towel off his body. When he felt like he was dry enough, he started to dress himself. He opted for a pair of boxers now instead of his jammers, since he would be going to bed in a little while. He had learned the hard way that sleeping in a skin-tight swimsuit was just as uncomfortable as it sounded.

Haruka then put on a pair of loose-fitting pajama pants and a random shirt, his hair still dripping wet. He was about to walk out of the bathroom like that, but somewhere in his mind he heard Makoto's voice, scolding him and telling him that he'll catch a cold. Listening to his boyfriend's words he knew were right, he grabbed the previously discarded towel and wrapped it around his neck as he left the room. He realised how bad he actually had it, when he obeyed Makoto's words even if the other wasn't even physically there with him. Maybe he missed him more than he originally thought.

He went downstairs to grab himself a drink before he started his research. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he heard the tapping of small paws against the wooden floor and he saw Mashiro strolling towards him. The white kitten had probably heard him coming down the steps and went to greet him. He bent down and scooped Mashiro up in his arms, carrying her with him as he made his way through his house. She meowed at him affectionately in response and he pressed a kiss against her head as he entered the kitchen.

The little cat had grown a bit since Makoto and Haruka found her. Back then she could easily fit in the palm of Makoto's hand - then again, Makoto did have large hands. She was still quite small, but Haruka knew that it wouldn't take long until she would be full-grown. Time really flies.

Makoto wasn't the only one Haruka had quickly gotten attached to. Even if he initially had taken Mashiro in because Makoto wanted him to, he couldn't deny that he had grown rather fond of the little ball of fur. Having a cat as company helped battle the loneliness, as he never was completely alone anymore. She was just so adorable - especially in Makoto's arms - and she was indirectly the reason Makoto and he had gotten together. If it wasn't for finding her, Haruka would've probably still be depressed over what Makoto had told the girl that confessed to him. Without her, they wouldn't have shared that perfect moment by the shore; their relationship probably wouldn't have progressed if Haruka hadn't confessed at that moment, and perhaps they would've still been ignorant of each other's feelings. And for that he was eternally grateful to the feline.

Haruka gave Mashiro's head another small kiss, the kitten in question clueless about the hidden feelings of gratitude he was trying to express. She just purred as Haruka opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of iced tea. Setting it down on the counter, he took a glass out of the cupboard. He knew he couldn't pour his drink whilst still holding Mashiro, so after scratching her behind her ears a little he set her down. Mashiro mewled in protest as he twisted the cap off the bottle, and when Haruka paid her no futher mind, she nudged her head against his leg. It was to no avail though, as Haruka just kept ignoring her as he finished pouring his glass full.

After returning the half-empty bottle to the fridge, Haruka went upstairs again, his beverage in his hand as he left the overly-dramatic cat behind. When he got to his room, he put his glass down on top of the table and went to grab his laptop, placing it next to the glass. He opened the laptop and pressed the button, waiting for it to boot up.

It was weird; just a few months ago he had been in this exact spot, crying into Makoto's arms, and now he was sitting here, looking up information on how to have sex with aforementioned boy. Funny how things could drastically change in such a short time.

In the meanwhile the computer had started up fully and Haruka had automatically opened the internet. Haruka was now staring at the screen, the search engine in front of him as he pondered where to start. He decided that it was best to just get right down to business so he typed "first time anal" into the box.

He waited as the page loaded and he was unpleasantly surprised when instead of a guide on how to have anal sex for the first time, a bunch of links to porn sites and videos showed up. That was exactly what he had not been looking for.

His nose scrunched up in annoyance as he cleared the bar, thinking about what he should search for in order to find what he was actually looking for. He tapped his fingers on the table as he thought. He was looking for a guide on how to have anal sex, so that was what he typed into the bar next.

Luckily, this provided more of the wished results. He clicked on the first link that directed him to the website of some kind of women's magazine. He scrolled past the introduction and went straight to the tips. The first tip read:

"_1\. Don't try it if you don't want to._"

Wow. That was helpful. If he didn't want it then he wouldn't have looked it up in the first place. Glancing quickly at the rest of the tips, he understood that they were directed towards women who already had further sexual experience. He clicked the return button, as this wasn't really what he was looking for either. Not only was he slightly annoyed that the internet automatically assumed that only experienced heterosexual couples were looking into anal sex, he also thought this wouldn't be very helpful to him, as a virgin in a homosexual relationship. Both the fact that this would be different for them since this was going to be their first time, period, and because he reasoned that since a woman's body differs from a men's body, both would experience anal sex differently as well, made him decide to look for something that was more targeted towards him.

So he typed "guide to anal sex between men" into the search engine and prayed for better results. He let out a sigh of relief when he finally found what he was looking for: a guide for gay men on how to bottom. With a quick glance over the page he deemed that this was extremely informative and exactly what he was looking for. He took a sip of his drink as he started to read.

After reading the guide, Haruka felt like he was significantly more informed. The guide had covered pretty much everything: from anal anatomy to the use of an enema to the actual anal sex. He reached the bottom of the page and saw a bunch of related articles, one in particular standing out and catching his attention. Like this one, that article appeared to be a guide. A guide on how to perfom fellatio, to be precise. His curiosity peaked, Haruka shrugged inwardly and clicked on the link. He was already doing research either way.

He couldn't remember ever being as interested in his school work or as motivated to study as he was in the research he was doing right now. It was good to know that he at least had his priorities straight.

When he finished looking up everything sex-related he wanted to know, he was glad to know that he was now more educated on the subject. Reading about all of that stuff excited him, it made him eager to try everything out with Makoto. But unfortunately, that was going to have to wait; he wouldn't see Makoto until the day after tomorrow, and even then they still needed to talk about it before anything could happen.

Then again, Haruka had decided that he wanted to try some things out on his own before Makoto and he progressed together. It was what the article had recommended; for him to become comfortable with his own body before exploring unknown territory with his partner. Haruka deemed that that wasn't a bad idea at all, as he knew that both Makoto and he had no experience whatsoever with anything anal sex-related, neither with penetration nor fingering for that matter. It also couldn't hurt to give himself a bit of an idea of what he could expect.

But that part of the research was going to have to wait until tomorrow, as Haruka was starting to get tired. It was nearing his usual bedtime either way. He gulped down the remnants of his drink and he turned off his laptop.

A thought hit him as he got up to put his laptop away. Wasn't all of this going to fast? They had only been dating for a few weeks; had only known each other for a few months. Wasn't it wrong to advance this quickly in their relationship?

No, Haruka thought, it's not. Even if their time together hadn't been that long, it felt as if he had known Makoto for his whole life. If they both wanted this, then why should they let themselves be stopped by something as insignificant as time and the stigmatisation of having sex early in a relationship? It was a weird stigma either way; it didn't rest upon one-night stands, and in this situation both parties loved each other, so Haruka couldn't really see the whole point behind it. He concluded that no, this is not wrong. Because something that felt this right couldn't possibly be wrong. He loved Makoto and he wanted this, and if Makoto wanted this too, then Haruka wouldn't let anything stand in his way.

Besides, since when did Haruka care about what society thinks? The only opinion that matters to him - especially concerning this - is Makoto's.

So Haruka decided to push that thought to the back of his mind and he went to put his empty glass away and brush his teeth.

The minute his head hit his pillow, his phone on the bedside table buzzed, signaling that he had received a message. He grabbed it and when he read who it was from, the familiar warmth of butterflies through his stomach. But it also made him miss him more.

_**[Sweet dreams, Haru. I love you]**_

* * *

And so Haruka found himself the next afternoon in his bathtub yet again. Though he normally preferred lukewarm or cold water, he was now soaking in hot water in order to relax and loosen his muscles. That would be helpful for his planned activities after all. He hadn't actually gone by the drugstore yet, and frankly enough he didn't feel like going out either. Because of that, he didn't have the products one would need, like lubricant or an enema, so he had to use the things he already had. After rummaging through his stuff a bit he'd found some sort of lotion at the back of a cabinet that would be sufficient. He didn't have a replacement for an enema, though, but he'd read that it wasn't necessarily a requirement, as there are people who prefer to not use one. So he had tried to clean himself a little as the guide had described in the shower beforehand, and now he was finishing up his preparation with a hot bath for both his muscles and his mind.

He sighed as he let the hot water - that was now rapidly cooling - soothe his body.

When the water had turned to less than warm, Haruka decided that it had been enough. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed the towel he had laid out for himself. He was drying off his body with the soft towel when his eye caught something. In the corner of the bathroom rested a pile of laundry he still needed to do, which was nothing out of the ordinary, really. But now he recognised one of Makoto's shirts sticking out of the pile. It was the yellow and orange one, the one he had worn the first time he had slept over at Makoto's. Out of all of Makoto's clothes, that shirt was his favourite, and though he'd never voiced that thought out loud, he felt like Makoto knew; he wore it quite frequently.

He walked over to the pile and pulled the shirt out from between the rest of the clothes. Lifting it to his face, he took a deep whiff of the fabric and warmth spread through his chest, along with a spike of arousal. The shirt still smelled like Makoto.

When he had made sure he was completely dry, he pulled the shirt over his head, still loving how big it was on him. He didn't feel the need to put on underwear; it was going to come off directly either way. Grabbing the bottle of lotion he'd found earlier, he left the bathroom in just the oversized shirt.

Inside his bedroom, he threw the bottle of lotion on his sheets and he grabbed his pillows, setting them against the headboard. He climbed on top of his bed, settling himself against the pillows, shifting until he was comfortable. He trailed his left hand down his body and took a hold of his limp cock, having already taken the obstacle of underwear out of the way earlier.

It didn't take a lot of stroking for his shaft to grow harder, as just the knowledge of what he was about to do and why he was doing it was enough to excite and arouse him. Being surrounded by Makoto's scent helped as well. He caressed himself until he was fully erect, thoughts and memories of Makoto flooding his mind.

His other hand came down to fondle his sac a little, before reaching even lower. He softly touched his perineum, and he let out a shuddering breath. He brushed his fingers over the areas around his opening, his skin tingling from the contact. He had never touched himself like this before, and the sensation was weird though not at all unpleasant. The hand on his cock slowed as he focused on the feather-light caress his fingertips placed on his bottom.

After a bit of massaging himself like that, he grew bolder and wanted to go further. Haruka had never been really big on the whole patience thing anyway. His hand left his erection and he grabbed the lotion, popping it open with his thumb. He poured a generous amount on his right index finger, before discarding the bottle next to him and reaching down his hand again.

He spread his legs a bit further apart, bending his knees and setting his feet down flat against the mattress to give himself better access. Then he started to circle his rim with his finger, the lotion cold against his skin. Luckily his nails were always trimmed, so that hadn't been a hindrance that needed to be taken care of. Applying slightly more pressure, he gently prodded at his entrance, until the tip of his finger was slowly entering him.

Haruka reminded himself to keep breathing as he pushed past the first ring of muscles. He unconsciously clenched down on the intruding finger, his body trying to force the digit out again. He could feel the tension in his muscles and he stilled his finger, knowing he should be relaxed before he made another attempt.

Leveling his breathing, he tried again, slowly thrusting his finger inside again. When about half of his index finger was inside, he stopped, wanting to get used to the feeling of having something inside of him. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but not all-together painful. His finger was slender, so the stretch wasn't too bad, but the sensation of being filled was completely new to him, so it took a lot of adjusting before the uncomfortableness started to fade.

Not only the intrusion felt odd; the feeling of his inner walls around his finger was something different as well. His insides were tight and hot, and the lotion made it wet and slippery. He decided that this wasn't an unpleasant feeling, and that he could get used to this.

He started to pump his finger in and out, getting more and more comfortable with the motion with each movement. After a while, it even started to become enjoyable. He was focusing too much on what he was doing, though, and he concluded that he should stop paying so much attention and just _feel_.

So he sank further into the pillows and he closed his eyes, trying to relax his twitching muscles as he allowed his mind to drift. He imagined Makoto, _his_ Makoto, holding him, kissing him, touching him. His scent was all around him and he could almost hear his voice, whispering Haruka's name in his ear, his tone low and husky.

Haruka let out a small moan that sounded suspiciously like ''Makoto'', and he continuously drove his finger inside himself. He needed more. He grabbed the collar of the shirt and lifted it over his nose, the fabric covering half of his face. He breathed in and Makoto's aroma filled his nostrils, assaulting his senses.

Unlike the first time he had masturbated to thoughts of his friend, he now felt not even a hint of guilt. Makoto was his boyfriend now, and surely there was nothing wrong with getting off to lewd, erotic thoughts of your lover - at least, he thought so. It made him wonder; did Makoto think about him as well when he jerked off?

Just the idea of Makoto lying in his bed, his hand wrapped around his huge cock as soft whimpers of his name left Makoto's parted lips was enough to reduce Haruka to a panting, needy mess. He was desperate for more, and even if he imagined that it was Makoto's finger inside of his hole instead of his own, it just wasn't enough. Makoto's fingers were thicker than his own, so he decided to add another one. It had been long enough with just one either way.

He pulled his finger out and was about to push in two when his hazy mind reminded him to add more lotion. He opened his eyes and he searched for the previously discarded bottle, finding it not far from his quivering thigh. Opening the container once more, he poured more of the lotion over his fingers. Throwing the bottle away, not even remembering whether or not he closed it properly, he brought his hand down again and rapidly pushed both his index and middle finger inside of his waiting hole.

His eyes blew wide as pain shot through his lower body. He had to resist the urge to immediately take his fingers out again. Two fingers was definitely something more than just one. That was a thing he had forgotten, in his current state. His mind had been clouded over with lust, even overpowering logic. Well, that was over now, as the pain provided a distraction. The stretch stung, and his body's reflex of clenching down made it burn even harder.

He forced himself to take a deep breath, keeping his hand as still as he could as he slowly released it again. Trying to keep his breathing as regular as possible, he wrapped his free hand around his neglected cock, resuming to stroke it in order to distract himself from the pain brought by his intruding fingers.

In the back of his mind, he heard that enchanting voice again, praising him, telling him how beautiful he was and how great he was doing. It reminded him of the reason he was doing this; to become one with Makoto. He knew that the pain was more than worth it, and that he's more than willing to hurt a little if it meant that they could be together in every sense of the word.

With that in mind, he started to move his fingers again, biting his lip as another form of distraction. He slowly slid his fingers deeper, and when they were about halfway in he pulled them back again, continuing this thrusting movement. After a while, the pain started to fade into a dull throbbing, more a subdued ache now rather than a stinging pain. He timed the motion with the jerking of his hand, and pleasure made its way through his being.

Though he didn't consider himself much of a masochist, he had to admit that the pain added to the experience in its own way. It kept him grounded, to a degree. He decided that he could get used to this, the pain as well as the pleasure. In the end, it was all for a greater cause.

The muscles in his legs began to spasm, his abdomen tensed as heat pooled inside of him. His body was begging for release, and even if he hadn't explored himself fully yet, he knew that enough was enough. His wrist was starting to hurt and his cock was so hard it was throbbing between his legs. Besides, there would be enough occasions in the future to get to know his body even better, so he decided to listen to his needs.

He increased the pace of his jerking, tightening his grip on his cock slightly as he fingered himself. His breathing became irregular once more as he was nearing his climax. Small moans and whimpers left him between pants, his hot breath trapped inside the fabric of Makoto's shirt. His mind went blank and his back arched off the bed when he came, white waves of pleasure washing down on him. He worked himself through his orgasm, his hole twitching around his fingers.

The fog clouding his mind started to clear, and he was trying to catch his breath, that had become quite labored. His fingers slipped out and his come-covered hand released his softening cock. Haruka searched for the tissues he now kept permanently on his nightstand, and he wiped his hands when he found them. He grabbed the collar of the shirt and pulled it down, now being able to breathe freely again.

He rolled over on his side and curled up into himself. His ass still hurt when he moved and he made a small noise of discomfort, the only sound in the silent room. He suddenly felt as if the room was too big, the emptiness engulfing him. It was probably due to his post-orgasmic state, but Haruka really craved arms around him, being pushed into a warm, broad chest as little kisses would be pressed against his temple.

He really missed Makoto.

* * *

Once again, I'm incredibly sorry this took so long to update! The only excuse I have is that I've been quite busy with other fics. The first one being a new multichaptered fic I've started, the other being my entry for the MakoHaru AU week. Please check those out if you feel so inclined!  
I'm sorry if the updates will be irregular from now on, but I promise that this fic won't be dropped!

As for Haru's research, these sites actually exist (though I changed a thing or two). I googled the things myself to see what kind of results it would get, and though Haru's results would be different due to him searching for it in Japanese, I figured he would end up with somewhat similar things.

And as for Haru's personal research... I'm sorry. I'm still trying when it comes to smut, and even if I think I may be more fit for writing fluff and angst, I can't help but want to try.

Thank you all so much for your patience, and as always for reading. It really means the world to me!

If you feel like I'm taking too long again, you can complain to me at .com or on Twitter DatHeetJoella

Until next time!


	33. Love Returns

**A/N:**_I am so incredibly sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I have no excuse other than my other MakoHaru fic that's been taking up a lot of my time. Once again, I'm really sorry. I'm definitely going to finish this fic. No matter what, it won't be dropped, even if the updates take a while. I just hope there are still people left who're reading it._

_I still have trouble coming up with titles for the chapters. 'Love' in this title refers to Makoto, if that wasn't clear._

_Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter; it's longer than the other ones, so I hope that makes up for the terribly long wait a little. :)_

**This chapter is not necessarily nsfw, however I still don't recommend reading it at work.**

* * *

The next day Haruka was sitting in his living room, playing with Mashiro to pass time. Though he usually would have spent every second in the bathtub when he was by himself, for once he found he was much too restless to lie around and wait. His stomach was fluttering with nerves and the water did nothing to calm him down.

After spending two entire days in solitude, he would finally be reunited with his love. In this time apart he realised that it wasn't that he _couldn't_ be separated from Makoto, but rather that he didn't want to be. Yes, he had missed Makoto quite a bit; his breathtaking eyes, his genuine kindness, his soft lips, his gentle caring, his strong hands, his worrying nature, his cute laugh... his everything. He longed to see him again, to be held by him again, and to merely be in his presence again, but that wasn't the reason for his nervous fidgeting. The thoughts and ideas that had been playing through his head these past few days were the cause of that.

Though he wouldn't verbally admit it, he was really excited to be by Makoto's side again, yet a small part of him was hesitant. That wasn't Makoto's fault, of course. Haruka had told himself that he was going to tell Makoto what had been occupying his mind and though he had been convinced that this was a foolproof plan, the closer he got to actually following through with it, the more he was filled with doubt.

So he had gotten out of the bath, since instead of clearing his mind it only gave him more space to fret. After hastily towelling himself dry and throwing on a shirt and some shorts he went downstairs.

Despite not having agreed on a time, Haruka expected Makoto to come over any minute now. Admittedly, he had unlocked the front door immediately after he had gotten up, even though he knew Makoto would probably sleep in.

He contemplated making some tea for Makoto and himself, but decided against it because he didn't know when Makoto would be here, so the tea could be cold by then. Besides, it was fairly hot today and Makoto might not even want tea. He was overthinking this.

Since he didn't really know what to do with himself, he settled with pacing up and down his living room. Taking this as a cue to play, Mashiro started to paw at his feet and almost made Haruka trip over her. Not having anything better to do besides worrying his ass off over something stupid, he obliged. And so he found himself in his current position, kitten in his lap as his mind was wandering.

Rationally speaking, he didn't even know why he was so nervous. He was going to ask his boyfriend if he wanted to make love with him. That was all. If he said yes, then that was great. If he said no, then that was fine too. Nothing to be worried about. He was going to be straightforward, because communicating his feelings was important. Even if he hadn't wanted to, Makoto would know instantly that something was up and he didn't want him to think he was hiding anything from him.

A deep sigh left his lips. It was really strange how Makoto was pretty much the only person who could make him concerned like this, yet at the same time he was the only one who made him feel completely at ease. Inwardly he rolled his eyes at his thoughts. He really was a goner.

Then, there was a knocking on the front door before it slid open, and that smooth voice called out.

''Haru?''

Within a split second Haruka had lifted Mashiro off his lap and jumped up, quickly making his way to the hallway before he even realised he was doing so. Turning around the corner, he finally saw him.

''Makoto.''

Having just taken off his sneakers, Makoto stepped out of the genkan and a brilliant smile lit up his face as soon as his eyes met Haruka's.

Haruka wrapped his arms around Makoto's waist when he got close enough, burying his face in the crook where Makoto's neck and shoulder met and he breathed him in. Every single one of his worries evaporated the moment those muscular arms embraced him, pulling him into a solid chest. Warmth spread through his entire body, filling him with contentment. How Makoto managed to pour so much love into something as simple as a hug baffled him, but he couldn't deny that it made him indescribably happy.

Without letting him go, Makoto leaned down slightly. ''I'm home,'' he softly murmured, the velvety sound so enchanting it made Haruka's stomach do a backflip.

''Welcome home,'' Haruka replied, though really, it was him who was finally home. His grip on Makoto tightened and he pecked the tanned skin beneath his lips.

Never had he imagined that he would ever miss someone like he had missed Makoto these past few days. Up until now he had only known the missing that came with permanently losing someone important. But the feeling of truly longing for someone's presence was completely new to him. It was as if he was running out of energy and Makoto was the only one who could recharge him.

Now that he had a taste of what that was like, Haruka felt like he was never going to let Makoto go again. No matter how great memories and fantasies could be, there was absolutely nothing that could beat the real Makoto. Though his shirt had been wonderfully arousing yesterday, it could never compete with the source of that scent, that was making his knees weak and his head spin as he took another deep whiff. The feeling of Makoto's toned chest rising against his and the rhythmic pounding of his heart against his ribs soothed Haruka in a way that was impossible to explain. Finally being able to hold him, to be held by him, made him feel so safe and secure. Makoto was his own personal sanctuary he never wanted to leave.

As if he had read his mind, Makoto chuckled, the pleasant sound vibrating through both of their bodies as he nuzzled Haruka's hair.

''I missed you too, Haru,'' he whispered, so honest and blissfully unaware of the fireworks he was setting off in Haruka's being.

Pulling back slightly but not releasing him, Haruka was met with Makoto's beautiful eyes and his sweet smile and he just couldn't help himself. He pressed a long, close-mouthed kiss to Makoto's lips, savouring the shape and feeling like he was trying to brand it into his skin, never to be forgotten. The smile beneath his lips only grew larger before Makoto applied a soft pressure, pulling Haruka even closer to himself.

Once their kiss ended, it didn't take long before Haruka placed another soft peck on his mouth. And another one. No matter how often they kissed, Haruka could never grow tired of Makoto's lips. They were like a drug and he was so addicted. A whole series of butterfly kisses were pressed against his lips and Makoto couldn't help but laugh, so some of the kisses ended up mainly on his teeth.

One of Makoto's hands travelled up towards Haruka's face and he gently held Haruka's jaw, parting his lips to properly kiss his boyfriend. Haruka practically melted against him, returning the kiss with just as much fervor.

When he pulled back, Makoto rested their foreheads together. Their warm breath mingled between their faces as blue eyes met green ones. They were squinted, looking at him with so much fondness that he could practically read the '_you're so beautiful, Haru' _in them.

In response to his boyfriend's unspoken words, Haruka reached down and gave Makoto's ass a gentle squeeze, a playful smirk settling onto his face. Makoto only giggled, closing his eyes as he nuzzled their noses together.

God, he loved this adorable guy so much. How it was possible for someone as perfect as Makoto to exist, he didn't know, but he thanked every deity for being blessed with such an angel. He wished to spend an eternity and a bit with him, for he could never have enough of him. Damn, he really had it bad.

But that was okay, because he knew that Makoto was just as infatuated.

After a few more stolen kisses, Haruka reluctantly released Makoto. No matter how much he would've liked to stay right where he was, there were important matters they needed to discuss and he'd rather not do that in the hallway.

So he turned on his heel and went back inside, knowing that Makoto would follow him. In the living room Makoto's attention was soon diverted to Mashiro, who was loudly begging for it.

''Want anything?'' Haruka asked as he entered the kitchen.

''Hmm? Ah, water, please.''

Now he was glad he didn't make any tea. ''Anything else?''

''No, just some water is fine.''

The nerves were coming back to him as he took two glasses out of the cupboard. He wasn't going to allow himself to back out on this, he needed to ask this. How the hell did he expect to actually do it with Makoto if he couldn't even work up the guts to ask him?

After taking a deep breath, Haruka returned to the living room, two glasses of water in his hands. He placed them on top of the coasters Makoto had put on the table before straightening his back. He inhaled deeply once more, just to gather that little extra bit of courage.

''Makoto.''

''Hmm?'' Makoto hummed, taking a sip of his drink.

''I want to have sex with you.''

Instead of responding, Makoto spewed out about half of the water in his mouth and choked on the rest of it, erupting in a fit of coughs. It didn't take long for him to catch his breath, his cheeks tinged red.

''You don't want to?''

''I didn't say that!'' Makoto ran his hand over his face and through his fringe. ''Geez, Haru, you surprised me.''

Still waiting for a reply to his earlier statement, Haruka kept his eyes locked on Makoto's, his expression still as deadpanned as it had been before.

''Just so we're on the same page, you want to-''

''Have anal sex, yes,'' Haruka interrupted. Maybe he was being a bit too impatient, but every second felt like a century and a tiny bit of anxiety was still eating away at him.

''Okay, so... We're obviously going to have to talk about this.'' Sighing at the tension he probably didn't intend to create, Makoto carded his fingers through his hair again before he shot Haruka a small smile and waved him over. ''Come here.''

Obeying the soft command silently, Haruka seated himself on his boyfriend's lap and Makoto's arms naturally wound themselves around his midsection, which took a part of his worries away. Haruka really loved to sit on Makoto's lap. It made him feel warm, safe and cherished all at the same time. Besides that, it was also the perfect position for cuddling, kissing and... other things.

''So, you want to have sex?'' Makoto asked and Haruka nodded in response. ''But do you really _want_ to?''

Haruka frowned at that. ''I wouldn't have said it if I didn't want to.''

''I know that, Haru, but that isn't what I meant. Do you want to because you really_ want _toor because you feel like you _have to_? Because this is 'the next logical step'? Or because _I_ want to?''

When he realised what Makoto meant, Haruka's insides started to tingle with fondness and adoration.

''I don't want you to do anything you don't want to just because you feel like you're obligated to. I'd never want to force you into something you're not comfortable with. All I want is for you to be happy so I wouldn't want you to do something like this just for me.''

The sweet and considerate words that left Makoto's mouth and that loving gaze of his did a great job at making Haruka blush profusely. A smile tugged at his lips as he ran his hands up Makoto's bare arms to wrap them around his neck.

''I _want _to,'' Haruka emphasized, his eyes never leaving Makoto's. ''I love you and I want to be joined with you. I want _you_. But if you don't want to...'' he trailed off, facing away from Makoto.

''I didn't say that,'' Makoto repeated, gently turning Haruka's face back with his hand on his jaw. ''How did you imagine this?''

''Well, I thought we'd switch.''

''Yes, of course. But I meant the first time.''

''The first time,'' Haruka echoed as he tightened his arms around Makoto's neck. ''I want you to top.''

Now it was Makoto's turn to frown, his soft gaze turning into a more concerned one. ''Are you sure about that, Haru? Bottoming for the first time... it'll probably hurt. A lot.''

''I don't care about that,'' Haruka uttered as he leaned closer so his lips were less than an inch apart from Makoto's, never once breaking eye contact as his warm breath ghosted over Makoto's lips. ''I want you inside me.''

For a second Makoto's green eyes clouded over with lust at Haruka's seductive whisper, but it was gone as quick as it had come. ''But I do care about that. I don't want to hurt you, Haru. Never. And especially not for my own pleasure.''

''You'll be careful, won't you?''

''Of course, but that's not the point! Are you sure you're ready for something like this?''

''Are _you_?''

A sigh left Makoto's lips. Haruka knew he was being very insistent, but this was something he really wanted and he needed to show Makoto that. Instead of giving him a real answer, Makoto kept dodging Haruka's words and questioned him in return. It wasn't as if Haruka would propose something like this if he really didn't want to and Makoto should know that. So was Makoto avoiding it because he didn't want to reject him outright?

''Honestly, I'm not sure if I'm ready,'' Makoto admitted, averting his eyes before meeting Haruka's stare again. With a smile he continued, ''But with you, I can't help but want to try.''

When Haruka processed the meaning of Makoto's words, his heart leapt in his chest and he couldn't stop his lips from smiling back at Makoto. Then a flash of doubt hit him. ''Are you sure? You're not saying this for me either, are you? I don't want to force you into this just because I-''

''I'm sure,'' Makoto assured, ''Really, I feel the same as you. I love you and I want this with you. I'd be lying if I said that this doesn't make me nervous, because it does, but I'd also be lying if I said that I hadn't thought about it before. I want you, Haru. Want to be joined with you.''

At that, Haruka couldn't stop himself from smiling brightly, explosions of happiness and excitement going off inside of him. Unable to contain it, he closed the distance between them and kissed Makoto a bit too harshly. Makoto cradled his face and pulled him back slightly, returning his kiss more gently. They embraced each other tightly when they separated, Makoto pressing small kisses against the side of Haruka's head.

''We're going to need some stuff first, though. Things like lube and condoms.''

''Hmm, and an enema,'' Haruka added.

''Right. Anything else?''

''No, that's about it, I think,'' he said. Makoto nodded, his hands sliding underneath Haruka's shirt and he started to slowly run his fingertips along the expanse of Haruka's back, his blunt fingernails giving Haruka goosebumps. ''We could go out later to get them, if you want.''

''Alright,'' Makoto easily agreed.

''And maybe, if you want,'' Haruka continued a bit more hesitantly, ''we could try tomorrow?''

''Okay,'' Makoto accepted with a smile, ''we'll try tomorrow.'' As if to seal the promise, Makoto kissed the bridge of Haruka's nose.

For a while they sat wrapped up in each others arms, both feeling a bit giddy yet cozy.

''Haru,'' Makoto broke their silence, still drawing random patterns on Haruka's skin. ''Have you ever, you know, tried to touch yourself like that?''

Haruka looked up from where his head had been buried in his boyfriend's chest and nodded. ''Just once. Yesterday.''

''Did it hurt?''

''Not really,'' he lied. It's not that he wanted to lie to Makoto about this, but he was afraid that if he'd say that it hurt that Makoto would change his mind about having sex with him. Besides, it was his own fault that it had hurt in the first place.

''Then,'' Makoto muttered, stilling his fingers against his back, ''did it feel good?''

Haruka leaned back even further so he could look Makoto in the eyes properly. ''Kind of,'' he shrugged, ''I only tried it a little, though.'' It would probably feel even better, a lot better, with Makoto, he reasoned, but he didn't voice this. One look at Makoto's face told him that he didn't need to voice it for Makoto to understand.

Makoto placed a kiss between Haruka's eyebrows, then down his nose before pressing his lips against his cheek. Soon enough his kisses were raining down on him, covering his entire face and Haruka had a hard time suppressing chuckles.

''Makoto!'' he whined with feigned annoyance.

''I can't help it!'' Makoto protested, ''I just really missed you.''

''Idiot,'' Haruka sighed, though it was said as a term of endearment rather than an insult. ''I missed you, too.''

That beautiful laugh chimed out again, Makoto's eyes slipping shut. ''You're so cute, Haru. I love you.''

''Shut up,'' Haruka replied and he averted his eyes. ''I love you too,'' he mumbled then, which only made Makoto laugh harder.

* * *

Later that afternoon they were on the train, heading to town to get the things they would need for their planned love-making. They had left after approximately an hour of snuggling, filled with slow, languid kisses, and soft caresses. Now, Haruka was staring out of the window, watching the scenery glide by as their stop was coming closer. Makoto was sitting next to him, their fingers loosely entwined and resting between them on the bench.

When they arrived at the station, Makoto gently squeezed his hand to gather his attention. As soon as the majority of the people who wanted to get off had left, they got up and stepped outside the train, not letting go of the other's hand.

Seeing all sorts of people at the train station, Haruka was reminded of the fact that he hadn't asked Makoto about his family's gathering. It was really insensitive and inconsiderate of him, but he had honestly forgotten about it with all that had been occupying his mind. Tact had never really been his thing, or so he'd proven.

''How was it? With your family, I mean.'' By the time he'd asked this, they had left the station behind and were walking towards the drug store.

''Oh, it was nice. It was great to see everyone again, but I did really miss you, so you have to come with me next time,'' Makoto said with a smile. Then, his eyes widened comically as he remembered something. ''Haru, you wouldn't believe what-''

Just as Makoto was about to tell him something concerning their time spent apart, he was interrupted by a loud yell that was clearly directed at them.

''Faggots!''

Everything suddenly went really fast; too fast for Haruka's mind to comprehend what was going on. Makoto's hold on his hand was changing and tugged at his arm. The next thing he knew, he was standing behind Makoto, whose hand was tightly gripping someone's wrist. The guy in question, who seemed to be a bit older than them yet physically smaller than Makoto, looked shocked at the sudden turn of events. Two other boys were standing behind the guy, both watching with as much confusion as Haruka himself.

''Don't you dare.'' Makoto's otherwise beautiful voice was as cold as ice, speaking in a tone Haruka had never heard before. ''Don't even think about it.''

Not only Haruka was surprised by Makoto's abrupt change of demeanor; a flash of fear shot through the guy's brown eyes and an uneasy grin settled on his face as he tried to pry his arm out of Makoto's grasp.

''D-Dude, come on. It was just a joke.''

In response to the guy trying to get away Makoto's grip only tightened, hurt evident in the guy's expression.

''A joke?'' Makoto spat, his words dripping with venom. Intimidatingly, he loomed over the guy, seemingly growing even bigger and broader and the guy shrunk even further into himself, swallowing thickly. ''Listen here. You and your friends are going to walk away. From now on, you're going to keep your hands and your opinions to yourself. And don't you ever think about touching him or calling out to him again. Understood?''

Like a deer in headlights, the guy was frozen, horror written on his face. When he gave no response, Makoto's fist clenched around his wrist, and he let out a small yelp of pain.

''Do you understand?''

Sensing the menace in Makoto's voice, the guy's eyes grew even wider before he nodded hastily.

''Good.'' With that, Makoto released the guy. Though the '_or else_' had been unspoken, the message was as clear as water.

His hand found Haruka's again and he turned them around, walking away from the three guys who were still stunned by the scene that played out in front of them.

Haruka allowed himself to be dragged along, perplexed by what had just happened as well. One moment they're leisurely strolling through town when someone calls out a homophobic slur to them, then his boyfriend is suddenly in confrontation with the guy. But the thing that confused him the most about this whole encounter was the way Makoto had acted. He had never seen Makoto like that before, so... angry? He'd seen Makoto being annoyed at the twins whenever he was scolding them, but it hadn't even come close to this. Usually he would raise his voice a little but now Makoto's voice had been eerily calm the entire time he had spoken. Despite this, his tone and posture were nothing short of intimidating. Pretty much everything about him had emitted danger and Haruka didn't even know that was possible.

When they turned around a corner and had created quite the distance between themselves and the men, Haruka stopped them.

''Makoto,'' he started so Makoto would turn to him. ''What _happened_?''

''He reached out to you, Haru. I don't know why, but judging by what he said he couldn't have had any good intentions,'' Makoto explained, fire still present in his eyes though it wasn't directed at him.

This only confused Haruka further. The guy had been reaching out to him, but why? Calling out a slur to someone is one thing, but initiating a physical confrontation with someone in public is something entirely different. Who knows what he would have done if Makoto hadn't been quicker than him.

At Haruka's silence, Makoto's rage started to fade and made place for that sad puppy look. ''I'm sorry for making a scene, Haru, but I couldn't just stand by and watch. '' Then, a glimmer of determination lit up in his eyes. ''I won't allow anyone to harm you, Haru. Or insult you for that matter.''

Perhaps it was affection talking, but hearing Makoto say something like that with so much confidence and possessiveness with traces of lingering anger in his being was... kind of hot. It messed with Haruka's head, which was a bad thing since these past few days his thoughts had been mainly dominated by hormones. The fact that Makoto had protected him despite that he was generally afraid of pretty much everything one could be afraid of made his heart swell with fondness. It took every ounce of his self control not to hug him - or jump him - right on the spot; holding hands was as far as Haruka was willing to take it when there were others around, and he was sure Makoto agreed.

''I'm not mad,'' Haruka said to clear that up. ''Thanks.'' _For protecting me_.

Makoto lightly squeezed Haruka's hand in response. They continued their way to the drug store, settling into a steady pace.

''Are you okay?''

Haruka almost had to snort at the irony of his question. ''Are _you_?''

If there was anyone who had been affected by the insult that was thrown at their heads, it was Makoto, not Haruka himself. He didn't care one bit what a random stranger thought of him, and while he didn't appreciate the guy insulting Makoto, it was nothing that would keep him up at night. Makoto on the other hand, was a lot more vulnerable to the outside world, so the chances of him getting hurt by words like that were much larger.

The hand that wasn't holding Haruka's clenched into a fist. ''He shouldn't have called you that.''

''I don't care what he calls me.''

''But I do!'' Makoto exclaimed, ''Haru, you're so amazing and perfect and you don't deserve to be blatently insulted like that. Nobody has the right to treat you like that.''

His cheeks flushed slightly at Makoto's words. It was sweet of him to think like that, even though Haruka found it to be completely unnecessary. If he didn't care about being insulted, then Makoto shouldn't either. It wasn't as if the guy had specifically insulted Haruka, but rather the two of them as a couple. This was not going to be the last person who'd disapprove of their relationship and call them out for it. They couldn't let people like that and their words get under their skin. It was a waste of energy to care about trivial things like that.

''Makoto, I don't care what others think of me, so you shouldn't either. Worry about yourself more.''

''I don't care what anyone says about me, but-''

''Then that's solved.''

Makoto looked like he wanted to object, but hearing the tone of dismissal in Haruka's voice made him shut his mouth. He averted his eyes momentarily. With a small smile on his face he turned back to his boyfriend.

''You're right, Haru. Sorry.''

As if to say 'it's alright', Haruka softly bumped their shoulders together, keeping a firm grip on Makoto's fingers.

When they entered the drug store they let go of each other's hand. They browsed through the aisles, scanning every section to find what they were looking for. The left corner of the store held the items they needed, right next to the menstrual products. Rows filled with boxes of condoms in all shapes and sizes, all kinds of different bottles of lube, and more items they couldn't even begin to identify stretched out before them.

Honestly Haruka felt a little overwhelmed by the variety of options they had to choose from, and one look at Makoto's face said that he was, too. This was one thing they hadn't discussed; what kind of condoms and lube did they need?

Haruka leaned forward so he could read what the products said. First things first, lube. He recalled something about water-based lube being the best kind, but he didn't know there were this many different types to choose from. Which should they get? The flavoured ones were probably not meant for anal sex. A few other bottles had some vague words on them and Haruka didn't even know what the hell they were supposed to do, so those were scrapped too. The ones that also functioned as massage gel sounded appealing, but they probably shouldn't get anything too crazy for their first time.

After a bit of pondering he grabbed a bottle that said 'regular' and held it out to Makoto. ''This one okay?''

Makoto took the offered bottle and inspected it closely. ''Yeah, this one's fine,'' he said, ''Should we get two bottles?''

''How much do you plan on using?'' Haruka asked, his deadpan voice masking that he was just teasing. He snorted when Makoto's cheeks heated up, the cute pink tinge adorning his handsome face.

''No, I just- I mean- It's water-based, which means it dries faster and needs to be re-applied more often,'' Makoto reasoned. Clearly Haruka wasn't the only one who had done some research. Well, he did have a point. It would be bad to run out of lube in the middle of things, and they needed to use a lot to minimize pain. Besides, there was nothing wrong with having a little stock.

''No, you're right,'' Haruka affirmed and he grabbed another bottle. ''Next.''

Blue eyes left the various colourful bottles in front of them to continue looking for condoms. Same with the lube, there was a whole diverse section of condoms with all kinds of random words on them. He decided that in this case, normal ones would be the best for them too. But condoms brought on another problem lube didn't have. What size?

''Makoto,'' Haruka spoke aloud, ''Are you large or extra large?''

''Haru!'' Makoto cried out, frantically looking around them in embarrassment, afraid that someone might have heard him.

Ignoring him, Haruka instead chose to stare at his groin. Definitely extra large, he decided.

''How many?''

''Just a few.''

That was probably for the best, Haruka agreed. If after tomorrow they decided they wanted to do it more often they might want to look into different kinds, and it'd be a waste to buy a lot if they didn't like this kind or if they didn't want to do it again.

He picked out a box and handed it to Makoto, whose pink face turned bright red when he saw what size Haruka had gotten. Quietly, he accepted his fate. He might deny that he was hot, but he simply couldn't deny that he had a large cock, Haruka concluded with a smirk.

''We should get some for you, too,'' Makoto then stated. ''N-Not for tomorrow, but for the next time...'' He averted his eyes, his blush rising all the way to his ears. He was honestly too adorable for his own good.

''Alright,'' Haruka easily agreed and he took another box - this one medium-sized - out of the shelf. Even if he had already mentioned switching, it was good to have the confirmation it was something Makoto wanted as well. With a small yet genuine smile he handed Makoto the box.

After picking up an enema bulb, they made their way to the register to pay for their stuff. Fortunately there was no queue, but when they got close enough Makoto suddenly shrieked.

''Murata-san?!''

''Nanase-kun, Tachibana-kun!''

Haruka looked up at his boyfriend's cry and the sound of their names, and was met with the person behind the register. It was the girl from their class who'd confessed her feelings to Haruka not too long ago. So that was her name.

If Makoto had been embarrassed before, he was absolutely mortified now. Admittedly, it was a bit embarrassing to buy this stuff in front of a classmate, but rather this girl than anyone else. She already knew about their relationship any way.

He placed the things he was holding on the counter and pried the rest out of Makoto's hands, who was still frozen in mortification.

The girl's eyes widened and her face flared up as she saw the items Haruka had put in front of her. Desperate to avoid eye contact, she kept looking downwards as she grabbed the barcode scanner. ''W-Would you like a bag with that?'' She asked as she quickly scanned all the items.

''Yes, please,'' Haruka replied as he moved to grab his wallet.

This action snapped Makoto out of his trance, though his cheeks were still bright red. ''I'll pay,'' he said, pulling out his own wallet.

''That's okay,'' Haruka dismissed, but Makoto wasn't having any of it.

''No, Haru, really. I've got it.'' He put his hand over Haruka's and gently pushed it down, the gesture telling him to put his wallet away.

Not wanting to make a scene in the middle of a store, Haruka quietly did as he had been told. This situation was already awkward enough as it was - buying sex necessities from a girl who'd confessed to him - and none of them needed more embarrassment than they already had.

Meanwhile the girl had seemingly pulled herself together as she accepted Makoto's money, putting the receipt into the bag and she looked at them with a hint of a smile.

''Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I promise.''

''Thanks,'' Haruka said genuinely. With one hand he grabbed the bag of the counter, the other finding Makoto's and pulling him along with him as he walked off. ''Bye.''

''Ah, have a nice day!''

''You too!'' Makoto yelled back over his shoulder, but he was already being dragged outside by Haruka.

As soon as they got outside Makoto let out a big sigh. ''Well, that was...''

''Awkward,'' Haruka provided, still holding his hand as they strolled through town.

''Yeah.''

''It's okay, she's not going to tell anyone.''

''How do you know that for certain?''

''She said she wouldn't. Besides, she already knew about us.''

''She did? How?''

''I told her. Well, more like she guessed it.'' When he saw the confusion in Makoto's eyes, he elaborated, ''Back when she confessed to me and I rejected her, she asked if we were together and I confirmed. She didn't tell anyone then, so I don't see why she would now. Sorry, do you mind?''

''No, I was just surprised. Ah, that reminds me!'' Makoto suddenly exclaimed, ''I was going to tell you before, but then _that_ happened and I- My family knows about you. About us.''

''You told your family about us?''

''Not exactly. Even if I'd love to shout my feelings for you from every rooftop, I know it's not that simple. You never know how people will respond to something like this, even if they are your family.''

''Then, what happened?''

''Want to grab a bite first?'' Makoto asked as he nodded his head at a fast food restaurant a little down the street. ''I'll tell you while we eat.''

''Alright,'' Haruka easily agreed, ''but it's on me.''

''Haru, no,'' Makoto objected.

''Why not? You always pay for everything. Why won't you let me pay for once?''

''That's 'cause... I don't want you to waste your money on me.''

A thin eyebrow was raised as Haruka eyed him skeptically. ''But _you_ can waste _your_ money on _me_?''

''It's not a waste if it's for Haru.''

Frowning and shaking his head, he sighed at Makoto's reasoning. ''It's not a waste if it's for you, either. Now shut up.''

They went inside the restaurant, letting go of the other's hand and they joined the shortest queue. Luckily the wait wasn't too bad and they were at the front of the line in no time. Makoto ordered for both of them and Haruka paid, glaring at Makoto from the corner of his eye while he did.

Once they'd received their food and were seated at a table, Haruka spoke up.

''So, what happened?''

''Right. So, we were at my grandparents' house and a lot of my family members were there. I was playing with Ran and a few of my little cousins - I'm the oldest and most of the others are around the twins' age. Somehow Ran got into an argument with one of them about who would get to marry me,'' Makoto started, pausing to take a bite out of his burger before continuing, ''It was getting pretty heated so it gathered everyone's attention. In order to prevent it from escalating any further, one of my aunts - who was probably a bit tipsy - interrupted them and said '_I'm going to be the one to marry Mako-chan_'.''

Attentively listening to his boyfriend's anecdote, Haruka took small bites of his food, chewing slowly. Eye contact was maintained for the majority of the time and Haruka silently encouraged Makoto to continue.

''At that moment Ren returned from the restroom, and he asked '_What about Haru-chan?_'. That's when everyone started to tease me and question me about 'Haru-chan'. Asking me who 'she' was, if 'she' was cute, if 'she' was my girlfriend. Then Ren said '_Haru-chan is a boy_' and Ran pushed him and yelled '_we weren't supposed to tell anyone_'.'' Makoto sighed as he recalled the incident. ''Ren soon realised his mistake, but it was already too late. Everyone was looking at me with those smug, curious faces. I looked at my parents for help but they both just shrugged, so at that point I knew I should just be honest about it, otherwise they would never drop it.''

''What did they say?'' Haruka asked with genuine concern.

Makoto smiled softly, reassuringly. ''They were all very positive. Their teasing was a bit embarrassing, but it made me very happy to know they were all so accepting of us.''

''I'm glad,'' Haruka murmured, returning Makoto's smile with a small one of his own.

''They asked me all about you,'' Makoto said, holding a fry in front of Haruka's lips, who willingly took the offered piece, allowing Makoto to feed him as he continued talking. ''Mostly just the basics; your name, age, what you had done to steal my heart,'' Makoto chuckled lightly, ''You know, the usual.''

Haruka snorted at that as well. He could very well imagine how embarrassing it must've been to be subjected to all kinds of questions from curious, borderline nosy family members. It was something he luckily never had to experience, but he supposed it was also nice to have so many people who care about you.

''They didn't just ask me, though. My parents and the twins were also thoroughly interrogated. Everyone spoke highly of you, especially the twins. You should've heard them, going on about how cool and pretty you are. Of course, I agree with everything they said,'' Makoto teased, leaning his head on his hand as he took a sip of his drink. ''Ah, but everyone wanted to know what you look like, and the twins' words only fueled that. They kept bugging me for a picture of you. I'm sorry, Haru, for showing them without your permission.''

''It's fine,'' Haruka assured. Even if he generally didn't like that kind of attention and it felt weird to have his picture shown to people he didn't know, he understood that Makoto was put on the spot by that request, and he couldn't exactly blame Makoto's family members for wanting to know what he looks like. Besides, they were Makoto's loved ones, so it wasn't that bad. ''What did you show them?''

Wiping his hands on a napkin, Makoto swallowed before taking his phone out of his pocket, sliding it open to look through his files. When he found it, he handed Haruka his phone. ''This one.''

It was a picture of the two of them that Makoto had insisted on taking. Both of their faces were full in view, Makoto flashing the camera his default smile, and while Haruka's lips also displayed a tiny smile, his eyes were completely focussed on the boy beside him, full of adoration and devotion.

''Hmm,'' he hummed in approval before giving the phone back to Makoto.

''Anyway, they said I need to bring you with me next time. They're all eager to meet you,'' Makoto continued as he pocketed his phone again.

''Even your little cousin?'' Haruka jokingly asked. ''I'm sure she must be heartbroken.''

''Absolutely devastated,'' Makoto laughed, ''In fact, it was so bad she had already forgotten all about me the second she received a popsicle.''

''Must be scarred for life, then.''

''Definitely,'' he agreed, still grinning widely, ''One rival less for you.''

''One down, two to go,'' Haruka nodded, taking a small sip of his beverage.

Makoto chuckled again, the lovely sound resonating around them and filling Haruka's heart with glee. ''I'm afraid the twins won't give in so easily, though.''

''I'll figure something out,'' he responded, ''They're easily bribed anyway.''

To that, Makoto couldn't do anything but agree.

They continued their meal with pleasantly meaningless banter. It was nice, being able to talk with Makoto about anything and everything. Whether it was about something serious or amusing or dumb or whatever, he could always tell Makoto and vice versa, which made his concern from before seem all the more stupid. It was something he was still getting used to; actually having someone to share his thoughts and feelings with. Because of this, he sometimes struggled with actually saying things out loud. The thing about it that confused him most was that these struggles differed so much from one thing to another. He had absolutely no trouble with saying things that others found difficult to voice aloud, yet things that were easy for most were hard for him.

Therefore Haruka felt he was so lucky to have Makoto by his side. His boyfriend was always so patient and understanding, waiting for Haruka to be ready to speak his mind instead of pushing him. That was really something he appreciated about him, among many other things. He had to make sure to show Makoto this, and he was going to do this with actions rather than worse. As he was still trying to overcome his struggle, he allowed himself to rely on what he could do in the meantime.

When they finished eating they disposed of their trash before going to wash their hands in the bathroom. Haruka may or may not have brushed a quick kiss against the apple of Makoto's cheek when the other was distracted. Makoto thanked him for the food once more, even though Haruka had already insisted multiple times that it was fine.

As soon as they stepped outside, Haruka's hand found Makoto's again, entwining their fingers and he lightly leaned into Makoto's arm. With the bag of bought goods into his other hand, they headed back home, both already nervously anticipating all that awaited them the following day.

* * *

**A/N:** _Thank you for reading! Months upon months ago I asked if anyone had suggestions for this fic and I got a response with something along the lines of 'angry Makoto, like someone says something about their relationship and it upsets him.' I hadn't forgotten about it, in fact, I had already planned it here, but it just took me a very long time to get to writing it. I hope the person who suggested it liked it (if they're still reading this, that is) and of course everyone else who might still read this fic. Sorry for the way it was executed though. The more I think about it, the more stupid and random it gets. I'm sorry, I tried?_

_Next chapter: the long awaited frick frack snick snack._

_I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible, I promise._

_Once again, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it and have a nice day._

_See you next time!_


	34. Joined as One

**A/N: First off, I want to thank you all so much for the continued support you've given me throughout the past year. I hope the rest of this fic will not disappoint you! ^^**

**This chapter took me a little longer than I anticipated, the reason for that being that something unexpected happened in my life and I really wasn't in the mood to write because of it. Therefore I stopped writing for about a week and a half. I'm sorry for the slight delay, but I hope that in return you'll enjoy the longest chapter yet.**

**So, the frick frack snick snack is here. If you are expecting something hot and kinky, I'm sorry, but this is not it. This is my first time writing explicit smut, so I hope I did an okay job. Only half of the awkwardness in this chapter is intentional.**

**Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy! ^^**

* * *

Fresh out of the bathroom, Haruka walked into his room and sat down on his bed. After weeks of imagining and fantasizing about it, Makoto and he were finally going to make love. He had been looking forward to this moment practically since he had first realised how hard he had fallen for Makoto, but that didn't mean he was any less nervous for this, quite the opposite; his insides were tingling and his heart was beating so fast that in any other situation he would've worried about having a heart attack.

The rest of the day prior to this moment hadn't been eventful; a lazy morning spent snuggling in bed and a quiet afternoon of watching whatever was on tv with the occasional interruption of food. When the evening fell, Haruka retreated to the bathroom where he first took a shower to clean himself inside and out, and then ran himself a hot bath to relax both physically and mentally.

Right now he was waiting for Makoto to finish taking his own shower, and then they'd both be ready. That's what he was hoping for, at least.

Taking a deep breath in order to calm and collect himself a little, Haruka took a look around his room. While he had been in the tub, Makoto had seemingly prepared the room; the curtains had been drawn close despite it not being completely dark out yet, his night-light had been turned on and emitted a soft, dimmed light, the duvet was drawn back, and on his nightstand stood a box of tissues, the lube and the box of Makoto-sized condoms.

It didn't take long until Makoto entered the room. He took place next to Haruka on the bed, staring at his hands which were folded in his lap. The way they were clenched around each other and the fact that Makoto was avoiding his gaze worried Haruka. He snaked his hand between Makoto's, forcing him to stop squeezing as he intertwined their fingers. Makoto's palms were sweaty even though he had taken a shower not too long ago and when he noticed this, he let go of Haruka's hand to wipe them on his shorts - they'd had an unspoken agreement of getting dressed after washing up. That way they wouldn't be thrown into the deep right off the bat and instead were able to take things at their own pace, and also because Haruka thought that the act of undressing each other was part of the experience.

''Are you alright?'' he asked as he placed his hand on top of Makoto's again.

He heard Makoto sigh before he looked up. ''Yeah, I'm just... nervous, I guess.''

''Look, Makoto, we don't have to. If you're not ready-''

''No, Haru,'' Makoto interrupted, ''That's not it. I don't think I'd ever be fully ready, at least not more ready than I am right now. And I want to, Haru, I really do, but I can't help but feel nervous when I think about it.''

''It's just me, Makoto. It's just us,'' Haruka tried to calm him. It wasn't as if he didn't understand Makoto, as he felt the same way, but he wasn't about to let these nerves stop them.

Makoto chuckled and Haruka could feel some of the tension in his body ebb away. ''I'm over here freaking out yet you are as calm as ever.''

That was entirely not true and to prove it, Haruka lifted Makoto's hand and brought it to rest on his chest so he could feel the rapid thumping beneath his ribs. For a second Makoto seemed surprised before he smiled and took Haruka's other hand in his and placed it on his own chest, right over his heart. At the harsh beating against his palm Haruka couldn't help but smile slightly as well, noticing that with every second that passed, both of their hearts seemed to slow down a bit.

''We were just going to try, right? Nothing _has_ to happen,'' Haruka said, adjusting his hold on Makoto's fingers.

''You're right, but I suppose I'm just... scared,'' Makoto admitted, ''I'm afraid of hurting you.''

''It'll be okay,'' Haruka assured as he rubbed circles onto Makoto's knuckles with his thumb, ''I trust you.''

With another sigh, Makoto nodded. He knew Haruka wasn't going to back out on this just because of the pain it would surely cause. Once his boyfriend had his mind set on something he wouldn't easily give in. So instead, Makoto offered the next best thing. ''Promise me that you will let me know if it hurts or if it becomes too much, and I'll stop. And if you decide you've had enough or don't want to continue, tell me. It's never too late to change your mind. Just say the word and I'll stop.''

''Hmm,'' Haruka hummed, ''same for you.''

His boyfriend nodded in response. ''I promise.''

With this vow, Haruka let go of Makoto's hand in order to cup his face as he placed a chaste peck upon Makoto's lips. A tiny smile tugged at his mouth when he ended the kiss, caressing Makoto's cheek as he spoke, ''We'll take it slowly, okay?''

''Yeah,'' Makoto agreed, his pink tongue darting out to wet his lips before letting them meet Haruka's halfway in a tender kiss. Eyes naturally fell shut as their mouths moved against each other, the motion so familiar yet it held an underlying feeling unbeknown to both of them.

Giving in to the current, Haruka wrapped his other arm around Makoto's neck, his fingers nestling in his brown locks. Makoto, on the other hand, was still testing the waters, tentatively wrapping his arms around Haruka's waist as if this were the first time he touched him. In order to pull him into the flow, Haruka unconsciously decided to take the lead for now, at least until Makoto was ready to give in.

As their kisses grew deeper and more passionate, Haruka leaned backwards onto the bed, pulling Makoto down with him. He adjusted them so they were both fully on the bed, Makoto lying on top of him with most of his weight resting on his forearms. His knees were bent, feet against the mattress with Makoto's legs between his, their hips lining up. Their lips and tongues continued to meet and touch as Haruka roamed his hands over Makoto's back, feeling the tension in his muscles. He didn't make any further advances than that. Despite this definitely not being the farthest they've ever gone, he wanted Makoto to have the opportunity to back out of this while he still wasn't feeling comfortable.

When he felt Makoto easing into his touches, he allowed himself to let his lips and hands wander. His mouth separated from Makoto's and before Makoto even had time to protest, his kisses were back on his neck, altering between gently nipping and sucking on his skin as he made his way down to Makoto's shoulder. One hand found its way up Makoto's shirt, his nimble fingers lightly scratching along his shoulderblades and up his spine. The other hand went down, running over Makoto's firm ass and squeezing the clothed cheek mildly. Craving even more contact, Haruka caressed Makoto's legs with his feet, stroking Makoto's calves with his toes.

It felt like Haruka was everywhere at once and Makoto couldn't bite back a small groan of his name. Hearing this was like music to his ears and it made Haruka's cock harder and harder with arousal. Luckily he wasn't alone in this as with every touch Makoto grew more and more erect.

Their lips met again in a kiss that was needier than before, both moaning softly into each other. In a silent request, Haruka tugged on the hem of Makoto's shirt. Makoto obliged and he sat back on his knees to pull his shirt over his head, exposing the broad chest Haruka loved so much. Following Makoto back up, Haruka ran his hands over his pectorals and shoulders, placing open-mouthed kisses over his clavicle and up his throat. His fingers brushed Makoto's nipples and he softly pinched them.

''Mmh, Haru,'' he sighed as he tangled his fingers in Haruka's hair, pulling gently so Haruka would look up and they could kiss once more.

With every touch Makoto seemingly got more confident and doubt started to fade from his thoughts. He began to reciprocate wholeheartedly, his actions becoming more purposeful and sure. It was as if he had flipped a switch in his mind and Haruka definitely wasn't complaining about this development.

He cradled Haruka's head and supported the small of his back as he lowered them on the mattress again. Before he let go of him, he grabbed a pillow and tucked it under his neck so his head could rest without straining.

''Comfortable?'' he asked to which Haruka nodded. ''Good.''

His face was illuminated by the soft light, highlighting his handsome features and his eyes were looking at Haruka with a mix of love and desire. It made Haruka's heart swell, reading the determination in them yet they were still filled with such gentleness. He couldn't help but want to taste him again.

There was absolutely no rush in their movements. They were the only two people in the world and they were taking their sweet time with each other. With an unspoken question of consent, Makoto took Haruka's shirt off, the other arching his back so it could slip off more easily.

He stroked Haruka's bared, fair skin, from his chest down his ribs and to his abdomen. Pleased with the progression, Haruka leaned up to capture his lips and he wrapped his arms around his wide back. A roll of his hips caused them to moan as they rubbed together, only separated by layers of fabric.

Makoto's hands drifted towards the waistband of his shorts and his fingers played with the hem. It wasn't enough, Haruka wanted more and he lifted his hips, hoping that Makoto would take the hint. Their eyes met as Makoto asked for permission, which was granted with a nod and Haruka raised his hips even higher. Hooking his fingers in the hem, Makoto slowly pulled his pants down, revealing his fish patterned boxers. Unable to bite back a chuckle, Makoto smiled at the choice of underwear that was so typical, flashing Haruka his white teeth as he stroked his hipbones with his thumbs. In response to Makoto's amused grin Haruka playfully stuck out his tongue to him, which Makoto took as an invitation to lock their lips again and he gladly obliged.

Haruka's fingers travelled up Makoto's back to slide into his hair, running his trimmed fingernails over his scalp while Makoto rubbed the outside of his thighs and their tongues entwined.

When Makoto pulled back, a string of saliva connected their red lips and he looked at Haruka with dilated pupils and a gaze full of yearning. ''May I kiss you?'' he asked, his voice husky and it sent shivers down Haruka's spine.

It was an absurd question, considering that their mouths were practically swollen from kissing so much, but Haruka understood that he meant more with those words.

''Yeah,'' he muttered, moving his hands down Makoto's sides, ''but first,'' he yanked at Makoto's trousers, ''these need to come off.''

With a twitch of the corner of Makoto's mouth that told him to go ahead, Haruka pushed the waistband down over Makoto's hips and legs, leaving him only in the dark green boxers he was wearing that showed the prominent bulge of his hard cock straining against the fabric and accentuated the roundness of his delicious ass. The sight made his mouth water and he was overcome with the need to fondle him. So he did. His fingers splayed out over Makoto's cheeks as he grasped and clutched at the firmness, his hands not quite big enough to cover Makoto's entire ass - not that he minded. Using his grip on Makoto to steady himself, Haruka grinded up into Makoto's crotch, making them cry out simultaneously.

For a second Makoto's mind clouded over with lust as he met Haruka's hips with a thrust of his own, but then he remembered what he initially intended to do and stilled his movement, bending down to press his lips against his lover's. One of his hands searched for Haruka's and he laced their fingers together.

After a few more kisses to Haruka's mouth, Makoto's lips left to go down to his chin and the underside of his jaw. He strayed towards his neck and throat, lavishing his silky skin with attention and Haruka tilted his head backwards to grant Makoto more access. This was something he had longed for and he completely gave in as Makoto softly nibbled at the most sensitive spots. Every lick made his groin stir, every suck made his breath heavier, every kiss made him light-headed and desperate for more. Makoto didn't stop there, though; he trailed his mouth over Haruka's collarbone and to his right shoulder, switching between open- and close-mouthed kisses.

Unhurriedly, he went from shoulder towards biceps and triceps towards under arm, making sure to treat every part equally. He pressed his lips to his wrist, to the back of his hand, to his knuckles and then his fingers. Adjusting his hold on Haruka's hand, Makoto continued on his left arm, repeating the process but now in reverse order; starting at the tips of his fingers and slowly making his way up Haruka's arm.

Overwhelmed by his boyfriend's actions, Haruka closed his eyes and couldn't hold back his voice. All of Makoto's feelings were being poured over his body for him to drown in. Every kiss was placed upon his skin with so much love and he handled him with such delicacy, as if he were a deity being worshipped. It made him wonder what he had done to deserve this, to be treated and adored like this by none other than an actual angel.

He didn't have long to ponder about it though, as not only his body, but his mind too was being engulfed by Makoto's endeavours. When his eyes opened again Makoto's mouth was on his clavicle, trailing his lips down Haruka's chest. As his pectorals were being showered with kisses, Haruka threaded his fingers through Makoto's thick hair, encouraging him to go on. Makoto's mouth found one of his nipples and he kissed it tenderly. The little nub perked up at the attention it received and Makoto licked it like he was rewarding it before taking it in his mouth and sucking lightly.

''Ahh, Makoto,'' Haruka whined, thrusting up aimlessly in search for friction but was instead met with air. One of Makoto's hands came up to tease his other nipple and Haruka couldn't help but tug a bit too harshly on the strands between his fingers, mewling out his lover's name once again. Makoto pulled away before the stimulus could start to hurt, resuming to map out Haruka's skin with his mouth.

A rain of kisses fell over Haruka's ribs and abs, making him squirm slightly from sensitivity. His movements were faltering the lower he got and with a last kiss pressed to Haruka's navel, Makoto stopped and looked up at him.

''Is this okay?'' he asked, vocalising this question for the first time.

Carding one of his hands through the locks, Haruka cupped the side of Makoto's face and stroked it softly, nodding his head with a small smile.

With his boyfriend's consent, Makoto carried on, yet more mindful of his movements than before. Haruka's breath became quicker and heavier the lower Makoto got, his face coming closer to his crotch. Makoto's lips were above the hem of his boxers now and after placing a kiss on his right hipbone, he halted. Seeking eye contact, he asked the same question once more.

Unsure of what Makoto planned to do next, Haruka nodded again. Whatever it was, Haruka trusted Makoto and allowed him to take charge, being completely at his mercy.

Slowly Makoto started to peel Haruka's boxers off, pressing kisses to every bit of skin he exposed on the right side of Haruka's pelvis. Soon Haruka's cock was freed from its confinement and he lowly moaned as it smacked against his stomach. Unfortunately for him, Makoto ignored it, and instead kept kissing him, following Haruka's underwear as he pulled it down over his legs. His thigh was being pampered by Makoto's mouth and honestly, he couldn't even complain about the lack of attention his cock was receiving.

Makoto gently grabbed his leg and lifted it off the bed, bending at the knee as he slipped the boxers off his right leg. His mouth made its way to Haruka's knee, then down his leg and to his foot. He held Haruka's foot like he was holding a piece of the heavens as he kissed it, making Haruka question once more how he possibly could've been lucky enough to be blessed with Tachibana Makoto.

When Makoto deemed himself done with Haruka's right foot, he softly lowered it onto the bed again before taking his left leg and repeating the process. He pressed his lips to Haruka's toes and they curled at his touch. His kisses ascended up Haruka's foot and towards his ankle, to his calf and shin, up his knee and then his thigh. The higher his mouth got, the more sensitive Haruka's skin was and his muscles twitched in Makoto's hand. As Makoto went up to his left hipbone, his heart skipped a beat in anticipation of what was going to happen.

Suddenly Makoto's mouth was gone and before Haruka had the chance to comprehend it, Makoto lowered himself onto him and made his way back up the bed. Haruka whimpered as his neglected cock skimmed against Makoto's abs and clad dick as his body slid over his own. Once Makoto's face hovered above his again, Haruka wasted no time in locking their lips, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth.

Their kiss ended and Makoto pushed himself off of Haruka and pulled away simply just to look at him. His black locks were slightly damp and splayed out on the pillow beneath his head, his eyes were glazed over and his pupils were blown so wide only a small ring of blue remained, his porcelain cheeks were flushed red from arousal and exertion, and his lips were parted and plump from kissing. His body was glistering with a combination of sweat and saliva, his muscles were convulsing, and his pretty cock was red and leaking.

''Oh, Haru,'' Makoto sighed, watching him with squinted eyes, ''You're so beautiful.'' He moved his hand to Haruka's face, running his thumb over his lips before caressing his cheek with the back of his fingers. ''So, _so_ beautiful.''

After everything Makoto had done so far, it was _this_ that made Haruka shyly avert his eyes, the tinge of his face darkening as he pouted slightly. The tone of Makoto's voice was so dreamy and genuine and expressed more love than he could fathom. It was like he was caught under a spell, and when Haruka glanced back at him he confirmed that his boyfriend didn't only sound but also looked bewitched. He found it very difficult to believe that he was able to do that to Makoto, but when their eyes met he could feel himself getting lost and he realised that he himself was very much enchanted by his lover as well.

With a deep intake of breath, Haruka got himself to think clearly again and he decided that even though he had loved every moment of Makoto's teasing and fooling around, he wanted to go further now. He hooked a finger in Makoto's boxers - which by now had a damp spot on the front - and let it snap against his skin like he was giving a warning for what he was about to do. When Makoto made no move to stop him he pulled them down, releasing his hard cock. Makoto hissed when Haruka wrapped his hand around him, his skin feeling cool to his heated shaft and Haruka started to stroke him slowly.

A loud groan escaped Makoto's throat as Haruka traced the thick vein at the underside of his cock while thumbing at his slit with his other hand. He grabbed Haruka's wrists and pried his hands off of him. If Haruka continued like this then he might come before they did anything. He removed his boxers completely and threw them beside the bed to join the rest of their discarded clothes before leaning forward and brushing Haruka's fringe out of his face. A sweet kiss was pressed against his forehead.

''Are you ready?'' Makoto asked when he pulled back.

''Yeah,'' Haruka murmured, taking his time to study Makoto's body while he reached for the lube. His messy hair was now even more dishevelled thanks to Haruka's fingers, the olive brown strands sticking out oddly in all kinds of different directions. His face was heated with a colour that matched Haruka's and his lips were a bit chapped yet they still looked so inviting. The way the light hit his body emphasized that it was all tight muslce; broad shoulders, wide chest, solid arms, chiseled abs, strong thighs. And then there was the part of him that stole all of the attention at this moment: his huge dick that stood tall and Haruka couldn't wait to feel it inside of him. If Haruka was beautiful, then Makoto was downright gorgeous.

Still drinking in the sight that he was so proud to call his boyfriend, Haruka ran his hands up Makoto's thighs as Makoto popped open the bottle of lube and started to coat his fingers. Once he thought it was enough - which in Haruka's opinion was a bit too much but he didn't mention it - he dropped the bottle next to them on the bed. With his other hand he grabbed another pillow and propped it underneath Haruka's lower back and pelvis. He hooked his arm under Haruka's knee and spread his legs a bit further.

''This okay?'' he questioned, ''Are you comfortable?''

''Yeah,'' Haruka repeated, ''Go on.''

Doing as he was told, Makoto pressed one of his lube-covered fingers against Haruka's entrance and Haruka had to suppress the urge to close his legs at the foreign touch. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that it was just Makoto. At Haruka's reaction Makoto kissed his knee and silently asked if he wanted to stop. When Haruka shook his head, he slowly began to circle his rim, covering it in lube as he did. After a while of rubbing to let Haruka get used to his touch he stilled his finger.

''Ready?''

''Ready,'' Haruka affirmed and he unconsciously braced himself.

''Relax,'' Makoto muttered as he caressed and kissed his thigh and Haruka released the breath he didn't know he had been holding.

Cautiously Makoto started to push his finger past the first ring of muscles, still stroking his skin yet it didn't stop Haruka from whimpering quietly at the intrusion. Once it was fully inside of Haruka, Makoto paused to let them both get used to this unfamiliar feeling. Haruka covered his eyes with his arm as he tried to stop himself from clenching down. Makoto's fingers were longer and thicker than his own so it took a bit longer to get used to and the fact that it was _Makoto _he felt against his insides made his head spin.

It was a whole new experience for Makoto as well. Never before had he felt this kind of heat and tightness and the fact that it were Haruka's inner walls wrapped around his digit caused his mind to become hazy and made his cock twitch.

''Okay,'' Haruka breathed after a while, telling Makoto he could move.

''Yeah?''

''Yeah.''

Carefully Makoto pulled his finger out halfway before slowly pushing it back in. Haruka tried to regulate his breathing as Makoto repeated the motion, closely watching Haruka's every reaction for any sign that he was in pain or that he wanted to quit. With every movement inside of him the discomfort started to subdue and small amounts of pleasure made its way through his being. Makoto noticed this and gently prodded at his walls in hopes of increasing the pleasure.

''Okay, Makoto, you can- _Ahh_... You can add another one.''

''Are you sure?''

Haruka nodded, lowering his arm so Makoto could see his face. It was always easier to show Makoto what he was thinking rather than telling him and in this situation it proved to be useful as well. This way he could convey his feelings without Makoto having to worry that he was just saying things for the sake of having intercourse with him.

''Alright,'' Makoto said and he took his finger out. He grabbed the previously discarded bottle of lube and poured some more over his fingers. Before he pushed them back in, he put Haruka's leg down and leaned forward to capture his lips.

Just as deliberately as before, Makoto inserted his fingers and Haruka cried out, pain of the entering shooting through his body. This was the fullest he had ever been and it hurt quite a bit. Though the stretch was worse this time, the good thing was that Makoto had taken it more slow and careful rather than jamming his fingers up his ass like he had done himself.

''Are you okay?'' Makoto whispered against his lips, ''Do you want me to pull out?''

''No! No, just...'' Haruka panted, taking a deep breath as he tried to slacken, ''Just give me a minute.''

With his free hand Makoto brushed Haruka's sweaty hair out of his face as he nodded and kissed him again to distract him from the pain a bit. Haruka wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck and clung to him, the need to feel him close suddenly increasing tenfold. Trying to keep his fingers as still as possible, Makoto softly petted Haruka's hair as he pressed kisses to the side of his face and his temple, wanting to comfort him in every way he could.

After a while of adjusting to Makoto's fingers, Haruka gave him the sign that it was okay to start moving. Setting a slow pace, Makoto thrust his fingers in and out of Haruka, changing the angle with every movement. When he hit a particular spot Haruka's back arched and his toes curled as he moaned loudly. Makoto smiled and mumbled ''found it'' under his breath as he rubbed his prostate over and over again.

Flashes of white covered his vision as heat coiled in his stomach and his heart was beating faster and faster. The pleasure he was experiencing was unlike anything he had ever felt before, the sensation totally different from having his nipples or cock teased. His mind was too hazy for him to comprehend what overcame him all of a sudden, all he knew was that if Makoto continued like this then he wouldn't last long.

''Ma_ah_...koto,'' Haruka gasped, having a hard time controlling his voice. What he wanted to say was 'you're supposed to prepare me, not get me off' but he found that he was quite unable to come up with the correct words to form a coherent sentence let alone actually try to pronounce that sentence. So he had no choice but to settle with the next best thing. ''S-Stop... Not there.''

''Stop? O-Okay,'' Makoto mumbled, stilling his fingers, ''I'm sorry, Haru, I-'' he was starting to pull out his fingers before Haruka interrupted him.

''No, Makoto! Don't stop,'' he exclaimed, catching Makoto's wrist to stop him from pulling out entirely. ''Just... just start stretching already.''

''Oh! Right, sorry,'' Makoto sighed, bending down to kiss his cheek in apology. ''If you do want me to stop, tell me, alright?''

In response Haruka moved his hips down onto Makoto's fingers, telling him to just hurry up already. Makoto chuckled lightly at his patience - or lack thereof - and kissed him again as he followed the command. He slid deeper into Haruka and began to scissor his fingers, pressing against his walls as he spread him open.

At last he had reduced Haruka to a whimpering mess and he was practically begging for more. The fact that Makoto handled everything cautiously and took it slowly was so considerate of him and at any other moment Haruka would've appreciated dearly, but right now it was driving him crazy. Deep down he knew that his body wouldn't be able to handle a fast and hard pace that well and that Makoto was doing this for his own good, but he was convinced that this excruciating carefulness would destroy him mentally.

''Mako- more!'' he demanded, chest heaving as he gulped for breath.

''You sure, Haru?''

Another downward movement of Haruka's hips was the only reply he got. Since Haruka knew the limits of his own body better than Makoto could feel right now, he obeyed and reached for the lube again as he slipped his fingers out. With a fresh coat of lube Makoto pressed three of his fingers against Haruka's rim. As soon as he slid back in Haruka grinded his hips down to meet Makoto's fingers faster. The pain he had felt earlier had clearly drifted to the back of his head as he started to impale himself on Makoto's digits, planning on setting a much faster pace than Makoto had when a hand on his pelvis stopped him.

Though Haruka obviously thought differently, Makoto knew that if Haruka continued like this then he would seriously hurt himself. The last thing he wanted was to see his boyfriend in pain, especially when he could've prevented it and even more so if he was the one who inflicted it. Therefore he needed to be prepared carefully and thoroughly, otherwise he might not even be able to take Makoto's cock. Knowing that Haruka wouldn't accept that and would definitely hurt himself in the process, Makoto thought that it would be best if he kept control of the situation for now.

''Haru, I need to prepare you properly,'' Makoto said, keeping his tone kind and gentle in the hope it would calm Haruka down a bit. ''Otherwise it'll hurt a lot.''

Haruka huffed, averting his face as he pouted, but he did calm down a little. Pain was about the last thing he cared about right now, but he knew that Makoto did care and that he was right. He knew that they were in no rush and that he was just being impatient, so he turned back and sighed. ''Just hurry up, okay?''

At that Makoto smiled before he kissed him again, deep and sweet as he began to pump his fingers in and out, spreading them to stretch him further. The pace he set was a tad faster than before, since Makoto was just unable to completely ignore Haruka's wishes and deny his demands.

Glad that Makoto took his feelings into consideration, Haruka was torn between muffling the embarrassing moans and gasps that Makoto so easily coaxed out of him with every flick of his wrist and every curl of his fingers or letting them flow freely. He himself loved every little noise Makoto made when he pleasured him, so he could imagine that Makoto liked it as well when he made those sounds. Perhaps he should gratify Makoto by stopping to hold himself back, as Makoto was doing his very best to satisfy him as well. Besides, it was just downright silly to be embarrassed about moaning too loudly when your lover was knuckle-deep inside of your ass with all the noises that accompanied this.

Another kiss was pressed against his milky thigh when Makoto's curled finger brushed a particularly sensitive bundle of nerves which made Haruka's back arch as he let out a high-pitched whine.

''M-Mako-'' he panted, struggling to speak properly, ''Enough... with your fingers. More.''

''Are you sure, Haru?'' Makoto asked, ''You're ready?''

At this Haruka nodded vigorously, ''I need you.''

Makoto felt his neglected cock - which he had completely forgotten about due to his attention being entirely focussed on his boyfriend and preparing him - twitch at Haruka's needy words and he had to swallow thickly before he was able to speak again. ''Alright, if you're sure...''

He slipped his fingers out and Haruka groaned at the loss, clenching down on nothing as Makoto reached over him to the night stand and fished one of the condoms out of the box. When he got one he sat back on his knees, fumbling with the wrapper to try to open it but utterly failing. His fingers were too slippery to get a proper hold on it. He dropped it once. Twice. The third time it slipped between his fingers Haruka - who had been watching the scene unfold full amusement - couldn't hold back a snort.

''Haru! Don't laugh at me!'' Makoto exclaimed, trying to sound offended before he started to laugh as well.

''Here,'' Haruka voiced, an amused smile playing at his lips as he offered out his palm.

With a kind smile of his own Makoto handed him the condom before wiping the smirk off Haruka's face with a chaste kiss. Haruka easily tore the wrapper open, taking the condom out and discarding the empty packaging wherever. Pressing it against Makoto's head, he held the tip as he rolled it down over his length. Then he grabbed the bottle and poured some lube in his hand. He threw the bottle somewhere next to him as he started to slicken up Makoto's cock, which by now was red and leaking, rubbing it up and down to make sure he covered every part and spread it evenly. When he kept stroking his cock, Makoto had to pry his hands away once more. It would be a shame for it to end before it even started.

He helped Haruka settle back down onto the bed and made sure he was comfortable, caressing his outer thighs as he rested their foreheads together. Touching their lips together for what was not the first and would definitely not be the last time this night, he stared deeply into Haruka's eyes.

''Are you ready?'' he murmured, his voice low and husky, yet still filled with such thoughtfulness and concern.

''Yeah,'' Haruka breathed, his heartbeat racing with anticipation.

Another tender kiss was shared and Makoto sat back on his knees. He gently parted Haruka's legs further, bending his knees and exposing his little, puckered entrance. With one hand he held Haruka's thigh and with the other he guided his dick towards Haruka's ass. He pressed the tip against Haruka's opening but paused then. Just like he had expected, Haruka tensed the second Makoto's cock met his sensitive skin, holding his breath as he braced himself.

''Breathe, Haru,'' Makoto commanded and Haruka released a shuddering breath.

This was the first time since they started that Haruka began to have doubts. Not that he didn't want to have sex with Makoto because he did, he really, really did. But he would be lying if he said that he wasn't at least a little bit afraid. He completely trusted Makoto, that wasn't the point, but he couldn't deny that his boyfriend's size was a bit intimidating.

''Haru, are you okay? Do you want to stop?'' Makoto asked, his lover's hesitance not going unnoticed.

Meeting Makoto's considerate gaze with his own was all the reassurance he needed. No, he didn't want to stop. He loved Makoto and he wanted him, wanted for them to be joined, to give himself completely to Makoto and receive him in return. Whatever it may take.

In the meanwhile Makoto's hand had left his leg and was now softly massaging his abdomen in the hopes of relieving some of the tension in his lover's body.

A deep breath was taken in before he spoke. ''No, Makoto. Go on.''

''Are you sure?'' Makoto inquired.

''Yes.''

With a nod Makoto's hand went back to his thigh, cradling it as he pushed his tip closer against his entrance.

''Ready?'' he asked, just to confirm his consent one more time.

''Ready.''

''Keep breathing,'' Makoto advised as he slowly started to push the head inside.

Though Makoto entered him carefully and deliberately, it didn't stop Haruka from crying out, pain exploding in his lower half as he was being filled. Tears sprung to his eyes and his breath quickened, trying his hardest to stay as still as possible and to not clench down. By the time half of Makoto's cock was inside of him, black spots invaded his vision.

Sensing the obvious pain Haruka was experiencing, Makoto stilled his movements, attempting to keep himself from moaning out loudly at the tight heat wrapped around his cock but being unable to contain it. Resisting the reflex of closing his eyes, he forced himself to keep them open to watch Haruka's every movement. It was horrible, feeling pleasure unlike anything he had ever felt but his love lying beneath him feeling pain unlike anything _he _had ever felt. And the knowledge that the source of their feelings was the same, that he was the one who inflicted this pain in Haruka and was gaining pleasure from it made it so much worse.

His hand sought out one of Haruka's and Haruka immediately squeezed his fingers. ''Are you okay, Haru? Do I need to pull out?''

''No,'' Haruka whined, his eyes tightly shut with a frown plastered on his face. ''G-Go deeper.''

It hurt like hell, there was no denying that, but Haruka reasoned it was like ripping off a band-aid; better to get over with it all at once rather than having to accommodate bit by bit. That, and it was faster this way too. There was more than one flaw in his logic.

The state his lover was in baffled Makoto so much that he didn't know what he should do. Unconsciously he followed Haruka's order, trying so hard not to panic that he wasn't thinking clearly anymore.

Slowly he pushed in further and Haruka couldn't hold back another sob, which made Makoto snap back to reality and he stopped, but Haruka commanded to keep going so he listened.

Soon his cock was all the way in and Haruka could feel Makoto's pubic hair brushing against the underside of his balls. Makoto stopped then to let Haruka adjust to him, softly massaging his skin in the hopes of soothing him.

When after a few minutes Haruka was still writhing in pain and discomfort beneath him, Makoto shook his head and began to pull away as he spoke, ''Okay, I'm pulling out.''

''No!'' Haruka objected, quickly wrapping his legs around Makoto's waist and hooking his ankles, locking Makoto in place. ''Makoto, don't!''

''Haru, you're obviously in so much pain!''

''Makoto, just,'' he ceased, trying to string together the correct words, ''Just give me a little. It'll be fine.''

Makoto still didn't look convinced and he opened his mouth to protest when Haruka interrupted him.

''Please!''

A deep sigh left Makoto's mouth and Haruka knew he had won. Makoto already had a hard time saying 'no' to Haruka, but when he begged like this Makoto had absolutely no chance of withstanding him. Of course, Haruka knew this and he wasn't afraid to use it against Makoto in situations like these. Yes, he had Makoto completely wrapped around his finger.

Since Haruka just wouldn't back out of this, Makoto figured that the least he could do was try to make this experience a bit less painful for his lover. He leaned towards Haruka's face, careful to keep his lower body as still as possible, and he pressed little kisses against his sweat-coated skin. His hands stroked up and down Haruka's body to soothe his tense muscles as he began to whisper sweet nothings into his ear.

Tightly clinging to his back, Haruka buried his face in Makoto's neck and breathed in his scent, which calmed him down while simultaneously turning him on even more. Compliments and praises were softly murmured to him, making him hide further into Makoto's skin. One of Makoto's hands drifted towards his cock and gently grasped it. He ran the pad of his thumb over the head, catching the precome that was dribbling from his slit and he pulled back his foreskin. Haruka gasped softly, clutching at Makoto's back with his blunt fingernails.

He was trying to divert his attention from the stinging pain in his backside and instead focus on other things, like Makoto's voice in his ear, Makoto's lips against his skin, Makoto's hands on his body, Makoto's dick inside of him, Makoto. Leaning back, Haruka touched Makoto's nose with his before capturing his lips in a searing kiss, running his tongue over his teeth. Their tongues curled around one another, their lips meeting again and again like the sea and the shore, parting briefly before gravitating back towards each other fervently. The heat of their kisses was not enough to relieve Haruka from the pain in his lower region, but they served as a very welcome, pleasure-inducing distraction.

At last the burning pain started to fade into a more muted ache. Haruka ended their kiss, resting his forehead against Makoto's and he closed his eyes. Their hot breath mingled between their faces, inhaling the same air as Haruka had his arms firmly locked around Makoto's neck. When he opened his eyes, he spoke, ''It's okay to move now, Makoto.''

Those words made Makoto open his eyes as well. ''Are you sure, Haru?'' he asked as he brought up a hand to stroke Haruka's red cheek.

Haruka nodded, one of his arms disentangling from his neck to brush Makoto's damp fringe out of his face.

''We'll take it slowly, okay?''

''Yeah,'' he agreed. The pain from entering had definitely slapped the common sense back into him.

With one more peck pressed to Haruka's lips, Makoto leaned back on his knees, straightening his back. He put his hands on his lover's hips, massaging his hipbones with his thumbs as he shot Haruka one last questioning look. When Haruka's eyes conveyed his consent, Makoto pulled out slightly before slowly pushing back in. They both let out a small groan at the friction.

''Is- _Nggh_... is this okay?'' Makoto grunted, his voice rough and low, dripping with restraint.

''Y-Yeah...'' Haruka panted.

A hand left his hips and found his, lacing their fingers together. With a little squeeze, Makoto started to move again. The pace he set was cautious and slow, thrusting carefully and gently like Haruka would break into a million pieces with one wrong movement. That was impossible, of course, but you could never be too careful, Makoto supposed. Not that Haruka was complaining. For once he was actually glad that Makoto was too worrying for his own good. He was trying to get used to the feeling of being entered by Makoto, of feeling Makoto against his insides, of being filled, of having sex with the love of his life. It already felt like too much as it was, and if Makoto were to quicken his pace, Haruka would surely lose his mind.

Breath came out in short, fast pants, occasionally coloured by soft moans of the other's name. Haruka let go of Makoto's hand and his own travelled up Makoto's arm, gripping the back of his neck to pull him down for their lips to meet. Quick kisses were shared, both too breathless to deepen them yet that didn't make them any less passionate.

The angle of Makoto's hips altered with every movement, searching for that one spot that could make his love see stars. Drops of perspiration glided down their skin as their bodies moved against each other, the contact making them even hotter. Both knew that with the extended foreplay and their general inexperience neither of them would last long, but they wanted to make the most of it while it lasted.

Noises floated through the room, all erotic in their own way and spurring them on as they filled their ears. From the smacking of their lips to their irregular breathing and soft moans, from the lewd squelching of Haruka's entrance to the slapping of Makoto's balls, it was all incredibly arousing.

Even when their lips ceased to touch they didn't part, a mutual need of having the other near keeping their faces close.

When white flashed before Haruka's eyes and his lower body involuntarily arched off the mattress, he knew Makoto had found his sweet spot once more. Pleased with this, Makoto kept rolling his hips, straightening his back to aim better and hitting his prostate over and over. The sensation made Haruka lose control of his voice and he let out a moan in a pitch higher than he thought himself capable of.

The pleasure, the pain, the intimacy of the moment, everything was too much, too much for him to handle and Haruka couldn't stop the tears from spilling over, making their way down the side of his face and rolling into his hair. When Makoto noticed this, he ceased moving and bent down, concern painted over his face.

''Haru! Are you okay?!''

''Makoto...''

''Is it too much? Do we need to stop? Are you alright?'' Makoto rambled, anxiety controlling his voice as he cupped Haruka's cheek.

''I love you, Makoto,'' Haruka sobbed, covering Makoto's hand with one of his own as he choked out, ''I love you so much.''

Instantly Makoto's features softened and he smiled as he leaned over to kiss the teardrops away. He kissed his eyes and petted his raven locks.

''I love you too, Haruka,'' he murmured. ''So much.''

At the use of his name more tears fell from Haruka's eyes and he drew Makoto in an embrace, hugging him tightly to himself as he buried his face in Makoto's shoulder. Makoto returned his gesture wholeheartedly, holding his lover close and he pressed his lips to every piece of skin within access. The same phrase was repeatedly whispered, expressing their feelings now not only physically but verbally as well. No matter how often they said it, those words never lost their meaning as it was said time and time again with so much authenticity and significance. They meant it every single time.

They pulled back far enough for their lips to lock. Quiet tears still seeped out of Haruka's eyes as they kissed. Even though Makoto's hips were still, everything was still a lot to take in and it made him unusually emotional. The fact that he was making love with Makoto, his Makoto, the person he loved most, was too good to be real and it was difficult to comprehend. His heart was filled with so much love for Makoto, more love than he thought he'd ever feel, and to receive the same amount of love in return was just too good to be true. Later he'd most likely feel embarrassed from having thoughts like these, but in the heat of this moment he genuinely couldn't help himself.

Eventually Makoto continued to move and every stupid thought was wiped from Haruka's brain as all that he knew was _Makoto_. Said boy, however, wasn't off much better. He was completely overwhelmed by the whole situation, by his beautiful lover writhing and panting beneath him, by his tight heat enveloping his cock, by the fact that they were connected in the most intimate way possible, their bodies joined as one. The only thing that was keeping him grounded and in control of himself was the thought of possibly hurting his Haruka if he lost himself.

''Haru_ka_...'' Makoto groaned when his love clenched down lightly. At this point his thrusts had become erratic, a tad faster yet still too slow. Haruka opened his eyes and looked up at Makoto's face. His eyebrows were furrowed in a mix of concentration and ecstasy, eyes lidded and lips parted as he panted and groaned, a single drop of sweat rolling down his temple. Even when falling apart from pleasure, he was breathtakingly stunning.

Makoto's erection was twitching against his walls and Haruka knew he was close. He himself wasn't far from the edge, either. Moving his pelvis down to meet with Makoto's forward thrusts, the rhythm became a bit less erratic yet twice as fast as before - though it was still far from actually being fast. Makoto's chest heaved with ragged breath and Haruka's thighs were spasming, signalling that the end was definitely nearing.

Always putting Haruka before himself, Makoto wrapped his fingers around Haruka's neglected cock and started to pump him, jerking slightly out of time with the rolling of their hips. At the same time his other hand roamed over his body, caressing his nipple and stroking his sides. Clearly he intended for his lover to meet the heights of pleasure before allowing himself to seek sweet release. And he was well on his way.

''M-Mako!'' Haruka whimpered, and Makoto knew exactly what he wanted. He bent down to let their lips touch in a kiss that was sloppier than any they'd ever shared before, their mutual need for each other erasing every trace of finesse.

Heat pooled in his lower abdomen and his balls tightened, the stimulation of his nipple, cock, and prostate being too much for him to handle. His left hand slid into Makoto's hair and he firmly gripped his brown locks as his other hand sought out Makoto's to intertwine their fingers.

The friction was becoming too much for Makoto as well. Desperate for release but he willed himself to hold back and keep going until he had completely satisfied his lover.

With a loud cry of his lover's name Haruka came, arching off the bed with quivering legs and curled toes. Pleasure washed over him, rippling through his body and his eyes practically rolled backwards in his head. Makoto worked him through his orgasm, kept thrusting and pumping. The sight of his love experiencing such ecstasy was so incredibly hot and he struggled to keep his eyes open to witness it all, but when Haruka clenched down he couldn't hold back any longer. He came hard, spilling himself inside the condom with a long moan that was supposed to be his boyfriend's name, but nothing more than the first syllable left his lips, the rest getting stuck in his throat.

Panting harshly as he came down from his high, Haruka lied limply on the mattress, completely spent after being thoroughly unravelled by his amazing lover. Slowly Makoto's movements started to falter before his hips stilled completely. He released Haruka's softening length and planted his hands on either side of Haruka's shoulders. His broad torso heaved as he was trying to catch his breath, arms trembling as he barely had enough strength to keep himself from collapsing on top of his love.

Haruka's mind was still clouded over from his intense orgasm, thighs convulsing from the after waves of pleasure. Even in his hazy state, indescribable happiness overtook him and it wasn't just the post-orgasm bliss that he felt. He felt true, unadulterated happiness, because of Makoto, because of their relationship, because of what had just happened, because of everything. Until his euphoria was suddenly replaced with panic when he felt something cold and wet hit his chest.

At first he thought it was simply drops of sweat falling down from Makoto's skin. It wasn't until his eyes focussed and he looked at his lover that he realised he was crying. Fat tears fell from his shut eyes, catching in his long eyelashes before they ended up on Haruka's pectorals.

Thoughts shot through Haruka's head faster than he expected possible after experiencing something so mind-blowing. Hadn't Makoto enjoyed this as much as he had? Was he not ready after all? Did he regret making love with him? Did Haruka unconsciously pressure him into this? Was every time he asked for Haruka's consent and permission an indirect way of telling him that _he_ was the one who wanted to stop?

A shuddering hand reached out and gently grasped Makoto's chin, tilting his head up so the tears rolled down his cheeks and they could look at each other properly.

''M-Makoto?'' Haruka said with a shaking voice, afraid to learn the truth of the emotion that overcame his boyfriend.

At the sound of his name being spoken, Makoto's eyes opened to reveal emerald brimming with tears. A smile split across his face, yet it wasn't the broken one Haruka was expecting. Instead, it was a genuine one, a joyous one.

Makoto chuckled lightly when Haruka's fingers wiped away his tears. ''I'm sorry, Haru. I'm just so happy... I can't help myself.''

Those words actually made Haruka smile as well, sighing with relief at the confirmation that this hadn't been a one-sided thing, that they both wanted this and that they were able to experience it together.

He wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck and tugged softly. Nodding with understanding, Makoto shrugged his limbs away before leaning back onto his knees, slipping out of Haruka and they both let out a small groan at the feeling. He pulled the condom off his flaccid dick, tying a knot at the end before throwing it in the general direction of the garbage can next to Haruka's desk. Then he did as he was told and he lied down on his side next to Haruka, only half on top of him as to not crush his smaller lover with his weight. His head rested on Haruka's chest and his arm and leg were draped over his frame, holding him close. Haruka's right hand carded through Makoto's damp hair and other arm wrapped around him, his left hand caressing up and down Makoto's back for comfort as tears of happiness and love spilled from Makoto's eyes.

They lied like that together, calming down from the intense and sensual moment. Not a word was spoken, yet the room was everything but quiet as their feelings practically seeped out of their pores and swum through the air above and around them.

Kisses were planted on Haruka's sternum and fingers ran over Makoto's scalp. They were still panting a little from exertion though their breathing was mostly regular again. Once Makoto's tears had dried, he looked up and their eyes met. Smiles lit up their faces and Makoto hoisted himself up so they were face to face and he pressed their lips together. Haruka reciprocated wholeheartedly, adding a soft pressure to the tender kiss. His arms wrapped around Makoto's neck and back, feeling goosebumps on his clammy skin.

Despite the hot summer days, the air still cooled down quite a bit in the evening and when the heat of their activities died out, it was easy to catch a cold with the sweat-coated skin that was left. Next to that was the fact that they both smelled like sweat and semen, but neither of them really cared about that right now.

They really needed to clean up, though. The release on their skin was starting to dry and some of the lube was trickling out of Haruka's entrance. It was time for them to continue basking in the afterglow underneath the covers.

Their kiss ended and instead of pulling away they simply stared at one another while breathing each other in.

''Are we going to take another bath or do I need to go get a washcloth?'' Makoto murmured against his lips.

''Neither,'' Haruka replied, ''Stay here.''

''We do need to clean up, though,'' Makoto said and he pressed another small kiss against Haruka's mouth before pulling away completely.

Haruka wanted to follow him back up, but a hand on his shoulder prevented him from doing so.

''It's okay. I'll take care of it.''

Deciding to let Makoto do what he wanted, Haruka merely shrugged before settling back down. He was too worn out to do much either way.

First Makoto looked for the discarded bottle of lube and made sure it was closed properly before putting it back down on the nightstand. Then he grabbed a handful of tissues and began to wipe off Haruka's body, removing the drying saliva, sweat, lube, and semen. Unlike the first time they'd gotten intimate, when Makoto cleaned around his crotch area Haruka allowed it all. Even when his ministrations lowered and he removed the lube around his hole, Haruka did nothing to stop him. Perhaps he would have before, but he was well past the point of being ashamed. Even if he hadn't been, he probably wouldn't have been able to muster up the strength to feel any embarrassment.

As soon as he had cleaned his boyfriend's body as thoroughly as one could with just a bunch of tissues, he threw the used ones away before grabbing a few more, quickly wiping himself down before he got up.

Wondering what Makoto was doing, Haruka turned his head to let his eyes follow his figure. Though he would've preferred for his lover to stay close, Haruka found that he couldn't complain as he let his eyes feast upon the glorious sight of that perfect ass bouncing as Makoto walked over to the trash can to dispose of the rest of the tissues. Then he went to the dresser in the corner of the room and opened a drawer.

He returned with two pairs of boxers and he slipped the first pair over Haruka's legs before pulling the other one on himself. One of the many benefits of spending so much time together both during the day and at night was that naturally articles of clothing stayed behind at the other's house. Once the underwear was snug against their skin, Makoto lifted Haruka's legs and pelvis and took the pillow away from underneath him so he could straighten his spine again.

Makoto stepped back inside the bed and grabbed the duvet, pulling it over them as he lied down. Immediately their bodies sought out each other again and they cuddled closer together. Arms wrapped around each other and legs intermingled. Another round of deep, wet, sensual kisses was exchanged before they rested back against the pillows, their faces still close together and their foreheads almost touching.

''I love you, Haru,'' Makoto whispered against his lips.

''Hmm, I love you too, Makoto.''

Their lips met again and Makoto hummed softly into the kiss.

''I love you so much.''

Haruka could see the tears building up again in Makoto's eyes and he could feel them beginning to form in his own. In order to prevent them both from crying again, he pressed their lips together once more to distract them both.

After a little while they settled back so they could properly look at each other. Haruka's hand was trailing up and down Makoto's arm when the look on Makoto's face changed from loving to shy.

''So, Haru... What- Like,'' he stammered, ''How was it?''

Hearing the nervous, insecure question, Haruka couldn't help but want to tease his lover a little. ''Your cleanup was great as usual.''

''Haru!'' Makoto exclaimed, but when he saw the smirk on Haruka's face he couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

A hand came up to caress Makoto's cheek. ''It was amazing. _You're_ amazing,'' Haruka murmured, and at those words a content smile lit up Makoto's face before he placed another chaste kiss upon his lover's mouth.

For some time they lied in silence, enjoying the post-coital bliss together before Haruka's words crudely interrupted the sweet moment.

''Next time I want to ride you.''

''Haru!'' Makoto echoed, then he continued in a smaller voice, ''I thought we could try it the other way around next time...''

Haruka actually snorted at that and a tiny smile appeared on his face. This was something he definitely wanted to do again and he was glad that Makoto felt the same way. ''We'll figure it out then. There's still plenty of time for us to do everything we want.''

''Yeah,'' Makoto agreed. They were still young and had pretty much all of their lives ahead of them. There were many years to come brimming with opportunities for them to indulge themselves. No need for them to decide everything right after their first time.

The hand that had been stroking Haruka's side came down to gently massage his hips and the side of his cheek.

''Other than that, how is your body, Haru? Does it hurt?''

''A little. Nothing I can't handle,'' Haruka replied truthfully. ''Besides, it's all worth it, isn't it?''

''If you say so.''

''What, you don't think so?'' he asked sceptically.

''That's not what I meant,'' Makoto explained, ''It's just that I can't judge that for you, but if you say so, then it is.''

Nodding in understanding, Haruka used his grip around Makoto's back to pull himself closer against Makoto's chest, nuzzling the skin there and kissing it lightly. ''It really is.''

''I'm glad,'' Makoto muttered, tracing his fingers over Haruka's spine lightly.

Some time was spent cuddling, the both of them wanting to drag out this emotional and intimate moment for as long as they could to bask in the warm and fuzzy feelings together, but eventually they found themselves fighting against sleep and decided to give in to it.

''Makoto, turn off the light.''

To obey the command, the arm that was wrapped around Haruka's side moved away from him. Blindly Makoto reached for the switch of the nightlight, knocking over a few things that stood on the nightstand in the process yet neither of them really cared. As soon as he found it he flipped the switch and the room turned dark. His arm was quickly pulled back underneath the warm duvet and wound itself back around his lover.

By the moonlight that shone through the light blue curtains, Haruka could make out Makoto's face as he leaned upwards. He captured Makoto's lips in a loving kiss goodnight. Makoto kissed back gently, softly catching his top lip between his. When they parted Haruka nestled himself beneath Makoto's chin, burying his face in Makoto's neck. Their bodies were pressed tightly together and Makoto let out a yawn.

''Sleep well, Haru,'' he mumbled, tilting his head to Haruka's head and kissing lightly at his hair.

''You too,'' Haruka spoke before he added, ''I love you.''

''Mhh, love you too, Haru. 'Night.''

''Good night,'' he said, waiting for a response but when he heard soft snoring, he knew that his lover had already dozed off. Haruka smiled a little to himself before pressing a small kiss to Makoto's throat. His heavy eyelids fell shut and he drifted off to sleep, the satisfaction of their first time living on in his dreams.

It hadn't been perfect, and yet it had been, simply because it was them. It was theirs, a sacred moment they would cherish forever, and they wouldn't have it any other way. This was something special, and they both knew that they never wanted to experience it with anyone but each other.

* * *

**A/N: It's canon that Haru has fish-patterned boxers (season 2 episode 1 for anyone who missed it).**

**I'm sorry, I tried my best? Perhaps I should just stick with fluff and angst, hehe...**

**The next chapter will probably take a bit longer than this one has, since I'm going to write the next chapter for my other fic first. (For the people who read that as well, I'm sorry it took so long! The reason for that being this chapter. I promise it's not dropped and I'm getting back to it as soon as possible!) Don't worry, even if it takes a while, I promise this fic will be finished.**

**Thank you again for reading and I'll hopefully see you next time!**

**Have a great day!**


	35. The Morning After

**A/N: So first of all I want to apologise for the fact that it has been over a year since the previous chapter came out. I have no excuse, I haven't been gone nor did I take a break from writing, I've just been too distracted working on other fics that I probably shouldn't even been working on in the first place. It had been my intention to finish this fic from the moment I started it and I still haven't changed my mindset; even if it takes me a long time, I am definitely going to finish this fic. In case you noticed, I went back and reread and editted all previous chapters of this fic, but no huge alterations were made that would require you to reread the entire fic. It was mainly grammatical and punctuation errors that I fixed so that the story flows better, but I'm sure that if you're just a casual reader, you most likely won't even notice the difference.**

**That being said, according to my planning we are nearing the end of this fic; there will be about 38 chapters in total plus one bonus chapter that I plan to post separately for it does not fall inside the time frame of this fic. Although there will still be a bunch of content because in contrast to the earlier chapters of this fic, I have since learned how to write longer chapters and it clearly shows; this chapter is the longest one yet and it is longer than the first fifteen chapters combined. I honestly have no idea how it is as long as it is, because to me, it didn't feel that long at all, so I hope that it won't feel that way to you either.**

**All in all, I hope that there are still readers here who enjoy this fic and want to keep being with me throughout this journey. It has been over two years since I wrote the first chapter so if there are even a few people who are still here to read this despite the year long hiatus this fic has been in, I'm going to pull through to the end. I hope that you can forgive me for taking such a long time and that you'll find it worth the wait.**

**I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter! ^^**

**This chapter is nsfw.**

* * *

The first thing Haruka noticed when he woke up was _pain_, nagging pain spread throughout his entire lower body. The center of the pain was his pelvis; his hole stung and his hips hurt the most. Next to that, there was a dull and more subdued ache in his lower back and thighs. He frowned in confusion and discomfort, his hazy mind being unable to comprehend why everything hurt so much but the second he realised it, he was wide awake, adrenaline rushing through his body as his heart beat faster and faster.

Despite the pain he was experiencing, a wave of euphoria hit him at the recollection of what had happened last night. Makoto and he had made love and it was absolutely amazing, although it had left him aching, it couldn't have been more perfect in his opinion. It may have been clumsy and dripping with inexperience, but it had made him indescribably happy and if it already felt so good the first time, then he couldn't wait until they got the hang of it and could experience mind-blowing amounts of pleasure together. Just the thought of it made his frown disappear to make place for a soft smile.

The second thing Haruka noticed was bare skin against his, a long arm wrapped around his waist that was holding him to a wide chest, enveloping him with warmth. Makoto was still fast asleep, his gentle and rhythmic breathing tickled the back of Haruka's head and neck and his fingers twitched softly against Haruka's chest. Their skin was clammy and felt gross but Haruka still couldn't care less. There was no place he would rather be right now than inside Makoto's arms.

It was as if the post-coital bliss from last night had lingered as Haruka didn't want anything but to hold Makoto close. The last thing he wanted was to move from this spot, though, because he was much too comfortable - and in slightly too much pain - so he opted for second best; he wrapped his arms around Makoto's and held it to his chest, bending his head to place a small kiss on his twitching fingers before he laced his own through them.

The third thing Haruka noticed was something pressing against his ass. Makoto's leg was in-between his and he could clearly feel his semi-hard dick in this position. It obviously wasn't the first time they had woken up together with an erection; in the earlier stages of their relationship they would simply ignore it and later on they would either take care of it together or just wait for it to go down, depending on the mood they were in.

Right now, Haruka was definitely in the mood to take care of it. There were still some things that he wanted to try out with Makoto and a better opportunity couldn't have presented itself. Just the thought of it was enough to make him nervous and giddy again, his belly tingling with anticipation.

He would have to wait until Makoto woke up though. After all, he would never do anything without Makoto's consent.

But for once, Haruka didn't mind waiting. Even if heat was already pooling in his abdomen from excitement, he wanted to let Makoto get the sleep he deserved, especially after everything he had done for him last night. He had taken such good care of him and if the state of his dick was anything to go by, then he might be having some nice dreams. The kind of dreams that he always deserved to have.

It was almost as if Makoto sensed what Haruka was thinking, for he tightened his embrace and mumbled, "Hm, Haru."

His voice had been muffled and low, but despite that Haruka didn't have a hard time making out what he had said. He could tell that Makoto was still sleeping soundly so his suspicions were confirmed, and he decided to let him have some fun and enjoy his dream for as long as he could. When he woke up, Haruka would make sure that reality beat whatever fantasy Makoto was living in his sleep.

A content little sigh escaped his lips and he raised Makoto's hand to his face again, spending his time with pressing tiny kisses against every part of Makoto's skin that was within reach. His free hand slowly caressed Makoto's forearm, just because. He didn't need to worry about his touch waking Makoto up, for he had learned that he was quite the heavy sleeper. Not that Haruka minded that, not at all, because it meant that as long as his touch wasn't ticklish, he could do whatever he wanted, and he had never been one to object to the idea of watching how Makoto slowly woke up while he showered him in gentle kisses.

Although he couldn't see him at this moment, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against his back and the soft puffs of breath fanning against his hair and nape was enough for him to picture the sight: eyes fluttered shut, cheeks rosy from sleep, and lips parted ever so slightly.

It was so endearing, and even if Haruka always thought he was adorable, it was moments like these that truly hit him with just how full his heart was with love for his Makoto. It was a feeling that was always present, but sometimes it was so overwhelming that he could actually cry because of how happy and blessed and in love he was. He didn't want to cry though, because Makoto would definitely get the wrong impression if he woke up after their first time only to find Haruka bawling his eyes out; Makoto would most likely sense his tears and wake up immediately, and Haruka wouldn't want to crudely interrupt his well-deserved sleep.

So he tried to distract himself from his overflowing feelings of affection and focus on something else. Unfortunately for him, the first place his mind went caused him to have a different type of flood of feelings. Thoughts of all the ways they could indulge themselves in each other's body and soul in the future caused the heat to return to his lower belly and sent shivers down his skin. He would always respect Makoto's wishes, but part of him hoped that Makoto would be in the mood too, because his heart was already fluttering inside of his chest with a nervous kind of excitement.

He could already feel himself becoming hot and bothered and he bit his bottom lip to ground himself. It wasn't a given that Makoto wanted to do anything right now and he wasn't even sure if Makoto would agree to the things he had in mind, so it was no use getting ahead of himself.

Even in his sleep Makoto was hyper-aware of any changes in Haruka's demeanour and therefore he also caught wind of this frenzy of arousal that was burning in his stomach. His fingers were flexing between Haruka's and a soft whine sounded as he tried to bury his face deeper into Haruka's neck. An amused grin appeared on Haruka's lips at the way Makoto's body always seemed to fight to stay asleep just that bit longer. It was honestly too cute for words.

Makoto pulled his arm out of Haruka's grip and stretched his muscles, the joint of his elbow cracking softly before he dropped it back down over Haruka's chest. Another sleepy hum left Makoto's chest through his now closed mouth and then his eyes slowly blinked open.

"Hm, Haru," he mumbled again, awake this time, and Haruka couldn't stifle a snort at the same choice of words.

Despite his comfortable position, Haruka could no longer suppress the need to hold Makoto as well. With gritted teeth he slowly turned around under Makoto's arm to face him and throbs of pain shot through his pelvis at the movement. He did his very best to hide it as he simply wrapped his arm around Makoto's bare waist and pulled himself a bit closer.

"Good morning," Haruka whispered and he placed a loving kiss on Makoto's pectoral.

"'Morning, Haru," Makoto murmured back, greeting him with a dazed smile that was accompanied by gentle green eyes full of adoration - and remnants of sleep.

"Had some sweet dreams?" Haruka teasingly asked and in a need to feel more of Makoto's skin against his he pushed his leg between Makoto's and accidentally brushed his thigh against Makoto's cock. "Oh, sorry."

Immediately every trace of lingering drowsiness was gone as Makoto's eyes widened in what seemed to be mortification, his cheeks glowing a darker shade and he pulled back slightly as he sputtered, "I-I'm sorry, I…"

Makoto was at a loss for words and Haruka frowned in confusion at his sudden embarrassment.

"Your dick was in my ass yesterday and now you're embarrassed about your morning wood?"

At Haruka's blunt words Makoto blushed even harder and he averted his eyes. "I mean, it's just that…" he tried, sighing softly, "We had sex just a couple of hours ago and I'm already hard again."

"So?" Haruka questioned sceptically, "It just happens, that's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I guess you're right," Makoto admitted and he scooted closer to Haruka again, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Haruka said and he began to softly draw random patterns on Makoto's chest with one of his fingers, his face inching closer to Makoto's, "We could do something about it, if you want."

The suggestive tone in Haruka's voice made Makoto smile and he followed Haruka's example and slowly ran the tips of his fingers over Haruka's back. "That's not exactly what I imagined the morning after our first time would be like, though."

"We don't have to," he clarified, for even if his smile didn't indicate unwillingness, he didn't want him to feel like he was pressured into it, "We can just cuddle, if that's what you want."

"I didn't say that!" Makoto quickly blurted, "Well, I mean, not that I don't want to cuddle with you, but I…"

Haruka might have some trouble with verbally expressing himself, but if there was anything that Makoto struggled with, it was communicating what he wanted. He was so used to putting everyone else before himself that he always asked what Haruka wanted and would then act accordingly, without regarding his own wishes and demands. Even though Haruka usually enjoyed having things go his way, when it came to their relationship he didn't want to take it all while Makoto only kept on giving. After everything Makoto had given him and done for him, Haruka wanted to give him everything his heart desired but he couldn't do that if Makoto wasn't honest about what he truly wanted.

Perhaps his perfect boyfriend was not so perfect after all, but that only made Haruka love him more - if that was even possible at this point - because he wasn't perfect either. And along with flaws came room for improvement and growth, and Haruka was confident that they could grow together, both as individuals as well as a couple. The thought of it brought an enamored smile to his face and a fond sigh escaped his lips.

His wandering mind was soon brought back to the situation at hand and his smile transformed into a smirk. "How about this," he breathed suggestively as he ran his finger down to Makoto's abs and back up, never breaking eye-contact, "We take care of it first, and then we'll cuddle afterwards."

Makoto chuckled lightly at Haruka's zealousness. "Sounds like a plan."

Haruka didn't wait to be told twice and he pressed his lips against Makoto's in a passionate kiss. The embarrassment that came with letting the other clean more intimate parts of their bodies was not the only thing that had been thrown out the window: the mindfulness of morning breath that they had in the past was also gone, because it wasn't like it was going to make them want to kiss each other any less.

The hand that had been pressed against Makoto's back trailed lower to his ass and Haruka caressed the clothed flesh as he deepened the kiss. He had to admit, this was not exactly how he envisioned them waking up together either as he hadn't expected to be quite as lustful as he was right now, but he couldn't really blame himself when his beautiful lover was lying beside him with a half-hard dick. But he definitely wasn't complaining, not when his lust was entirely mutual.

Besides, he had never been one to turn down having a good time with Makoto, whether it was sex or cuddling or even just hanging out. Regardless of what they were doing, they were always able to make the most out of it simply because they were together.

Considering the stuff he planned to propose, Haruka thought it was best if he set the pace so he could make sure it wouldn't go too fast and they're come undone prematurely. Even if he had nothing against unravelling Makoto with his hands or vice versa, that was not what he wanted to do right now.

Sometimes Makoto's ever-present need to please Haruka no matter what the circumstances were came in handy, as he allowed Haruka to do what he wanted and followed that lead without question or complaint. He kissed him back fervently and the way his tongue moved against his made Haruka moan and reflexively squeeze Makoto's ass, and that sensation in combination with the tender circles Makoto's thumb was rubbing on one of his nipples was enough to make him melt into his arms.

Despite his previous claims, Haruka couldn't stop himself from touching Makoto and he stopped fondling his ass to stroke his cock through his boxer briefs. Through the fabric he felt Makoto becoming more erect and a wave of satisfaction rushed through his own body. He would never get tired of feeling Makoto getting more aroused and it never failed to make him more aroused as well.

Haruka gently pushed Makoto's shoulder and Makoto got the hint and turned to lie on his back, humming in delight as Haruka crawled on top of him without breaking their kiss. Another shot of pain went through his lower body but he ignored it as he tried to focus on Makoto's hands on his skin instead. He placed his own hands on Makoto's chest and he broke their kiss to push himself upwards so he was sitting on Makoto's groin with his legs on either side of him.

The duvet fell from his shoulders and their warm bodies were exposed to the relatively cold air in the room, but their attention was solely fixated on each other so they barely even noticed the goosebumps on their arms and backs. A pleased smile sat on Makoto's face and he ran his hands up Haruka's thighs, caressing the sensitive skin as his fingertips found their way underneath his underwear. The seductive look that had been painted onto Haruka's face was soon replaced with a frown when he grinded down and felt another painful throb in his muscles and he couldn't stop a tiny groan from leaving his mouth. Coincidentally it was at the same time Makoto softly squeezed his flesh and upon hearing Haruka groan he immediately pulled his hands away.

"I'm so sorry, Haru, I completely forgot!" he apologised as he propped himself up on his elbows, concern written all-over his face. "Are you alright? Does your body hurt a lot?"

"It's fine," Haruka reassured, "You didn't hurt me, I just moved too much."

"Well, technically I _did_ hurt you…"

The guilt was evident in Makoto's voice and Haruka wasn't having any of it. He grabbed Makoto's hands and gently tugged at them.

"Come on, sit up," he said and wordlessly Makoto did as he requested and Haruka slid onto Makoto's thighs as Makoto's back straightened. He cradled Makoto's face in his hands so he had to look at him as he spoke, "My ass does hurt, I'm not going to lie about that, but I definitely don't regret it. We both knew that it was going to hurt and we accepted that, and even if I had known beforehand that it would feel like this, I still would have done it. And I would do it again and again because I love you, Makoto, and I want to have sex with you. I want to feel good with together with you, even if it hurts too. So don't you go and feel guilty or regret it now, because I don't regret it and I definitely don't blame you, either."

"I'm sorry, Haru," Makoto uttered, sounding even more guilty now, "I love you too and I want to have sex with you too, but I don't want you to be in pain and-"

"The pain is nothing I can't handle, I already told you that," Haruka interrupted and he stroked Makoto's cheeks with his thumbs, "And if you don't want me to be in pain when we have sex, that means that we're going to have to do it a lot so my body can get used to it."

Conflict was clearly present in Makoto's face. "But I don't want to hurt you, Haru, I never want to hurt you."

A small sigh left Haruka's lips. It wasn't like he didn't understood Makoto, because if he had the choice between hurting and not hurting then he would obviously pick the latter, but he did want to make love with Makoto and that was something that couldn't be done without a bit of pain. Everything that was beautiful and pleasurable had its sacrifices, and Haruka was more than willing to sacrifice being able to sit comfortably for the upcoming days if he got to be joined with Makoto.

"I don't know if it helps you, but the pain is more than worth it." Haruka smiled before he adjusted his position in Makoto's lap and wrapped his legs around Makoto's waist, pulling himself a bit closer. He was gradually getting used to the stinging sensation with every move he made. "The amount of pleasure you make me feel is much, much more than the amount of pain I'm feeling right now. So touch me," Haruka said and he grabbed Makoto's hands and put them on his ass, "Just be gentle," he added even though Makoto was never anything but gentle with him, and he wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck. "And if you still feel guilty for hurting me then that means that you should make me feel extra good right now."

That joking remark brought a small smile to Makoto's face and he softly rubbed his fingers over Haruka's ass just like he told him to. Haruka mirrored that smile before he closed the distance between them and he kissed Makoto tenderly.

Even though he had said that Makoto should be the one to make him feel good, he didn't really mean it and he had mostly told him that to make him feel a bit better. Because his plans were quite the opposite of what he had said; he planned to make Makoto feel good, because Makoto always made sure that he was the one receiving pleasure first and foremost and Haruka wanted their roles to be reversed for once. He would make sure that this time, everything centered around Makoto and he would do everything he could to make sure he felt as loved and appreciated as he always made Haruka feel.

Haruka's lips strayed from Makoto's mouth to his chin and the underside of his jaw, altering between gently nipping and sucking at his skin. Makoto tilted his head to grant Haruka more access to his neck and he drew his hands back over his ass to slip his fingers underneath the fabric and onto Haruka's smooth skin. While Haruka was sucking lightly on Makoto's throat, careful to not leave a hickey, his hands sought out Makoto's pillow behind his back and shoved it to the headboard of the bed, fluffing it a bit before grabbing his own pillow and placing it on top of it.

Then he stopped kissing Makoto's neck and carded his fingers through Makoto's hair, gently guiding his head back so Haruka could lock their lips together once more. With the fingers of his other hand he lightly stroked Makoto's abdomen, trailing as low as he could without touching Makoto's cock before going back up. Makoto did the opposite as he removed one of his hands from Haruka's ass to rub his clothed dick instead.

"Makoto," he said in-between kisses, "There's something I want to try."

"Hmm?" Makoto hummed in question and then he remembered what Haruka had said last night and what position he had brought them in before and he broke off their kiss to look at him in concern. "Haru, we can't! We just did it yesterday and you're already in so much pain that you can barely even move properly! Your body has to rest before we can do it again!"

At Makoto's quick rambling Haruka frowned a bit before he understood what he was referring to and why he was so worried: he thought Haruka planned to ride him. "Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to do that right now," he clarified, indicating that that was not what he meant. That would have to wait for now, at least until the aching of his muscles had gone away and he could move freely again. "Here, sit back against the headboard."

"Alright," Makoto said and he scooted backwards until his body hit the stacked pillows, doing as he was told even though he had no idea what Haruka wanted to do.

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, "What do you want to try?"

"It's something we haven't done before," Haruka explained, wanting to see how Makoto would react.

No resistance or worry appeared in Makoto's eyes; only curiosity was present as he cocked his head sideways in a silent question.

Saying what he wanted proved itself to be a bit more difficult than he was hoping for, but because he still needed to say it in order for Makoto to understand and agree to it, he thought he might as well bring it in a way that fit the mood he was trying to go for.

He leaned forward until his lips were right beside Makoto's ear, his hot breath ghosting over it as he lowly whispered, "I want to suck you off."

At those lewd words Haruka felt Makoto's dick twitch against his own and a pleased smirk appeared on his face. Despite the clear interest of Makoto's body, Makoto's mouth did not know how to respond to this.

"H-Haru, I, you-"

Haruka pulled back to look at Makoto's face. His eyes were blown wide and his cheeks were blazing bright red.

"Y-You don't have to do that," he finally stuttered.

Here we go again, Haruka thought, but he wanted to have something other than a lecture in his mouth right now. "I don't have to, no, but I want to. Do you want me to?"

"W-Well, I, uh- I do, but-"

Admitting his desires seemed to be another challenge, just like bringing them up himself. Haruka didn't know why he appeared to be more embarrassed about the notion of oral sex than anal sex, but at this moment he didn't really care about his reasoning either.

"Then, can I?"

"I mean, I guess, I just-" He nervously fidgeted and fumbled with his fingers, staring at their laps to avoid Haruka's gaze.

"Hey," Haruka called as he cupped Makoto's chin in his hand and lifted it, slowly stroking his jaw with his thumb in a soothing way, "We don't have to if you don't want it. If you're not ready for that yet then you can just say so, that's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Hearing Haruka's comforting voice murmuring those reassurances to him made him smile shyly. "I want it and I think I'm ready," he mumbled, still squirming a little, "I'm just a little nervous."

It wasn't as if Haruka didn't understand that, because he was feeling quite nervous himself, but he didn't want Makoto to notice that. If he was confident in his wishes and desires, then maybe it would be easier for Makoto to become more confident about his as well.

"Shall we just try?" Haruka proposed with a hopefully comforting smile, "And if, at any point and for whatever reason, either of us wants to stop then we just stop. Alright?"

Makoto's smiled widened and he nodded, "Alright."

With Makoto's consent Haruka pressed his lips to Makoto's again not only to ease his lover a little, but also to stop himself from smiling brightly. They kissed each other tenderly, and as the seconds ticked by more passion and fervor dripped into the kiss. Haruka ran his hands along Makoto's side, adding just the right amount of pressure so that his touch was sensual but not ticklish. At first Makoto mimicked this touch as he ran his hands over Haruka's back, but eventually his hands settled onto his thighs again. It was pretty clear that Makoto loved Haruka's legs, but this was also something that Haruka understood for he was quite a big fan of Makoto's thighs as well.

Once he felt Makoto's muscles slacken as he relaxed into the pillows, Haruka thought it was time to get started. But that was easier said than done, because Makoto's lips were so addictive and his tongue moved so delightfully against his that it was hard to pull away. The prospect of not being able to kiss him for the upcoming time made it more difficult as well, especially because they basically always kissed while they were having sex so it was almost strange not to.

Eventually Haruka was able to press a final kiss against Makoto's mouth before his lips strayed to Makoto's neck. He thought it would be best to explore the familiar patches of his skin before venturing into territory that was not yet discovered by his lips, so they could both get used to the idea a little more before it actually happened.

Again he was mindful not to make any marks, for even if his family-in-law knew about their relationship, he wasn't really eager to show them just how intimate they got when they were alone together.

He softly kissed and nipped down Makoto's neck as he adjusted his position in Makoto's lap and gently separated Makoto's legs, sitting down on his knees in-between them. Then he placed his hands on the outside of Makoto's thighs and sensuously massaged them. A rain of quick kisses fell on his skin from his clavicle onto his pectorals and Makoto couldn't help but giggle a bit at the way Haruka's lips tickled on skin. But those giggles soon turned into a breathy moan when Haruka sucked one of his nipples into his mouth and ran the flat of his tongue over the nub.

Unfortunately, Haruka wasn't exactly as patient as Makoto was, so kissing every last inch of his skin like Makoto had done to him yesterday was not something he was capable of right now. His own dick was hard as well but he had told himself that he wouldn't do anything about it until he had completely satisfied Makoto. Because he planned to take as much time as he needed to complete that task, he knew he had to get to it already if he didn't want his dick to hurt just like the rest of his lower body.

So with one last suck to Makoto's nipple he moved on and pressed a chaste kiss beside his sternum, feeling the frantic thumping of Makoto's heart against his mouth. A trail of open-mouthed kisses was placed down Makoto's torso over his abs, which tensed at the touch. Haruka's hands moved over Makoto's hips and he hooked his fingers in the waistband of his underwear. He slowly dragged it down and Makoto lifted his hips and retracted his right leg so Haruka could slip it off more easily.

When it was completely off his legs Haruka threw it beside the bed to be dealt with later and focused his attention on Makoto's freed cock. He grabbed it with his right hand and slowly stroked up and down, and precome was already trickling from his slit. It didn't seem like Makoto would last long and honestly, Haruka was a little relieved about that because he hadn't even started yet and he already wasn't sure if he would be able to keep it up for long.

No wonder his ass hurt so much, because Haruka was seriously beginning to speculate as to how Makoto's dick had been able to fit inside him in the first place. By now it was common knowledge to him that Makoto had a big dick, and usually he was quite pleased with this fact even if it meant that making love with him had hurt more than if he would have shoved his own dick up his ass, or so to speak. But while his hole was mainly muscles that could stretch around him, his mouth was a different story.

His mouth was pretty small and Makoto's dick was anything but: was it long, but it was pretty thick too and Haruka wondered how he would be able to get that much girth into his mouth without breaking his jaw. That may be a little exaggerated, but it was true that he felt a bit intimidated by his size. But Haruka wasn't going to give up and quit without trying first.

"I, uh," he began a bit bashfully as he looked up to meet Makoto's eyes, "I've obviously never done this before, so tell me what you like and don't like."

Makoto's blush darkened even further but he still nodded and said, "I will."

Haruka nodded back at him before he turned his attention to his cock again. He didn't really know where to start so he leaned forward and pressed a kiss against the tip, feeling the precome against his lips. A somewhat salty taste entered his mouth as he licked his lips and then he eased himself into a lying position.

A surprised gasp left Makoto's lips when Haruka licked the rest of the precome off the head before he closed his lips around it. The feeling of Makoto's tip on his tongue was strange at first, but not unpleasant. If anything, the thought of the fact that he currently had Makoto's dick in his mouth sent shivers down his spine and made him moan around him. That, in turn, caused Makoto to raise one of his hands to his mouth to stifle a moan and the sound of it sent another spike of arousal through Haruka's body and encouraged him to go on.

Tightening his grip around the base, he took a bit more of Makoto's dick in his mouth, being mindful of his teeth, and gave it an experimental suck. More precome filled his mouth as Makoto let out a strangled groan that sounded a bit like "_Haru_."

Haruka took his mouth off of Makoto's dick and reached upwards to grab Makoto's hand. "Don't hold back," he murmured as he pressed a small kiss to the palm before he intertwined their fingers, "Let me hear your voice."

At this request a startled and timid expression appeared on Makoto's face, but then he smiled softly and his free hand cradled Haruka's warm cheek, that was probably the same shade of red as his own, and he lovingly caressed it. "Alright."

Remembering to keep breathing through his nose, Haruka lowered himself to Makoto's cock again and hollowed his cheeks as he guided himself down. He tried to take as much of it in his mouth as he could, but there was still a large part that he couldn't immediately fit so instead he stroked his hand up and down from the base of his dick to his own lips.

Makoto squeezed his hand and his breathing became heavier as Haruka bobbed his head and he tangled the fingers of his other hand through his black locks, his fingertips feeling like heaven as he ran them over his scalp. The muscles of his thighs were convulsing a bit and to prevent Makoto from involuntarily thrusting up into his mouth, Haruka changed the position of his arm so his elbow rested at the juncture of his leg and hip, shifting his weight to hold him down if needed.

Hearing the breathy moans coloured with his name spurred him on even further and he hummed a little to send vibrations through his length, determined on making him feel even better than he already was. He looked up at Makoto and saw that his eyes were squeezed shut in pleasure and his mouth was hanging open slightly, the red tinge that dusted his cheeks completing the look of ecstasy.

He lightly squeezed Makoto's hand to gather his attention. Even if the thought would be a bit embarrassing, he wanted Makoto to look at him, meet his eyes so he could see the amount of bliss that was swimming in them. When he felt his gaze on him he looked up at Makoto through his bangs as he sucked even harder than he had before.

"_Ahh_, Haru," he moaned, resisting the urge to close his eyes because he simply couldn't stop staring at Haruka's large eyes, his pupils so far dilated in lust that only a small ring of that beautiful blue remained. He brushed Haruka's fringe from his forehead, wiping away the sweat that was building up there as he carded his fingers through his hair.

Haruka could feel the spasming in his muscles that always signalled that Makoto was close and he was even more motivated to make him come than he was before. He tried to circle his tongue around his head and shaft as much as he could and his pace turned frantic. It wasn't enough, he wanted to take more of his dick into his mouth so he tried going lower with every bob of his head. It was difficult, but he was obstinate and resolved to make it work, not wanting to be limited by the restrictions of his body.

And with just that, the moment was gone.

When his stubbornness caused him to ignore the sign that he could not take Makoto any deeper and his dick hit the back of his throat, Haruka choked and quickly pulled away to cough violently.

The look of pure bliss that had been written across Makoto's face was immediately gone as his eyes widened in shock. "Haru! Are you okay?!" he asked hurriedly, his tone full of concern.

Haruka was coughing too much to answer him. Tears were welling up in his closed eyes but he was too focused on trying to catch his breath to care about that. Makoto's hands were flailing around him, wanting to do something to help him but not knowing what.

After a minute he had finally regained a regular breathing rhythm and rapidly blinked his eyes to rid them from any stray tears that were left in them. His face was cradled in Makoto's hands as Makoto repeated his question, a bit more calmly now, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he sighed and he took a deep breath before he mumbled, "Sorry."

At this apology Makoto opened his mouth, most likely to ask him what he was apologising for, but no sound left his lips when Haruka reclaimed his hold on his cock and lowered his head again.

"What are you doing?" he managed to sputter in utter bewilderment.

Haruka looked up at him and frowned. "Sucking your dick?"

"Haru, you just choked!"

"So?" he questioned, sceptically raising his eyebrow.

"So?" Makoto echoed, "You could have really hurt yourself!"

What was the big deal? He had already said that he was fine now. "I'll be more careful."

"Haru, I don't think this is a good idea…" he hesitantly said, knowing that Haruka wouldn't be pleased with his words but needing to say them anyway.

Contrary to what he was expecting, Haruka released his erection. "Do you not want it anymore?" he asked seriously, not a trace of his off-brushing attitude left.

"It's not that I don't want it, I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

A small sigh of relief left Haruka's mouth. "I won't. I'll be more careful now, I promise." Deepthroating may not be within his realm of expertise yet, but he would never be able to do it if Makoto would never let his dick in his mouth again in fear of hurting him. Practice makes perfect, after all.

As always, Makoto was incredibly sensitive to his boyfriend's pleas and he could never do anything but give in to him. The current state of his dick may have been a contributing factor as well. "Just be careful, okay?" he requested as he cupped Haruka's cheeks again.

"I will," Haruka promised with a nod of his head, and in response Makoto smiled a bit before he leaned forward and placed a small kiss on his hair.

That tiny gesture of affection made a burst of warmth shoot through his chest. No matter what situation they were in, Makoto was always able to make him feel so incredibly loved that his heart almost couldn't take it. These little things that came so natural to him truly meant the world to Haruka, and it never failed to take his breath away with overflowing feelings of adoration. This was exactly why Haruka wanted to spoil him, to fulfill his every wish, to love and appreciate him wholeheartedly because he would never be able to give Makoto all that he had given him, not even in a thousand years.

In an attempt to begin to express all of his feelings he pressed another kiss to the tip of Makoto's dick before he licked the vein at the underside of it from base to head. Then he wrapped his lips around his shaft again and resumed bobbing his head, trying to get back into the same pace and flow he had been before the interruption of his gag-reflex.

If the signs of Makoto's body were anything to go by, he was a bit further from release than he had been before. Haruka was not entirely happy with that because his tongue and jaw were already starting to get tired and hurt pretty badly, but it had been his own fault so he had to accept the consequences. And he was entirely set on doing so, because he intended to finish what he started and make Makoto feel as good as he possibly could.

While he sucked and rubbed Makoto's dick, Haruka tried to caress his thighs and lower belly with his free hand. That proved itself to be a bit more difficult than he had anticipated, because trying to divide his attention between his mouth and both of his hands caused for his rhythm to become irregular. So he gave up on trying to touch as much of Makoto as he could and instead focused all of his attention on his dick.

The weight of Makoto's dick on his tongue was slowly driving him crazy and with every bob it seemed to get heavier. Thoughts were beginning to disappear from his head all-together as he sucked and moaned around Makoto's cock, driven purely by love, lust, passion and the incoherent groans of his name.

His own neglected dick was practically begging to be touched and without even realising it he rolled his hips against the mattress. The movement still hurt and he let out a small unintentional groan. Luckily for him, he was not the only one whose mind was a bit foggy right then as Makoto was not able to distinguish a groan of pain from a groan of pleasure.

Makoto ran both of his hands through his hair this time, his fingers tangling in the thick black locks for leverage in an attempt to somewhat ground himself against the absolute magic Haruka was working between his legs. His thighs were quivering again as he got closer to his climax and any filter that his mouth may have had before was long since gone.

"Haru," he sighed, his innermost thoughts rolling off his tongue like it was small-talk, "So good. Feels so good." His fingers tightened around the strands of Haruka's hair when a deep moan resonated through his dick. "Ha… Haru. I love you so much. Haruka."

The unexpected declaration of love combined with the use of his name made another throb of affection shoot through Haruka's chest and he didn't know what to do with himself other than trying to say it back. That wasn't entirely possible right now, so he had to settle with mumbling it and trust that Makoto would be able to feel his love. Unconsciously the fingertips of his left hand dug into Makoto's thigh as he switched between circling his tongue around Makoto's head, licking the slit, and sucking as best as he could. The saliva that was left behind on Makoto's dick was spread by his hand as he continued to rub the part of his length that his mouth couldn't take.

Through his half-closed eyes he could see Makoto's abs tensing and underneath his arms he felt his legs shaking. His mouth was filled with precome and Haruka knew that his lover was incredibly close.

"Haru," Makoto echoed, and the way he whimpered his name confirmed Haruka's conclusion. "Haru, I'm going to-" he warned and he lightly tugged Haruka's hair, giving him the chance to stop.

But Haruka didn't stop. On the contrary, like he had regained all of his energy he sucked and bobbed even harder, giving it his all now that the end was in sight.

"Haru-"

With a harsh tug at his hair Makoto pulled Haruka's mouth off him. His eyes squeezed shut as he reached his orgasm, his mouth falling open with a long, low moan. It took a good few seconds for him to come down again and he let out a deep, satisfied sigh before he closed his mouth and looked back to his lover once more.

His mouth immediately fell open again and his eyes widened in shock as he saw that he had come all over Haruka's face.

For a moment he was frozen in mortification and he couldn't do anything but watch as Haruka pushed himself off the mattress to sit up straight, all the while keeping his eyes squeezed shut.

"Oh my God," Makoto said before he began to ramble, "I am so sorry. Are you okay? It didn't get into your eyes did it?" He grabbed Haruka's face with both of his hands and he studied his eyes closely.

Slowly and cautiously Haruka blinked his eyes open. "No," he calmly stated, seemingly unbothered by the current situation.

"Haru, I am so sorry, this was not my intention at all, I-" he continued before he was struck with an idea and interrupted himself, "Tissues!"

He let go of Haruka's face and with his own hands now partially covered in come he turned around to grab tissues from the box that was still on the nightstand from last night. When he turned back to face his lover and wipe the semen off his face, he saw Haruka brush his finger over his cheek only to put it in his mouth afterwards.

"Don't eat it!"

Haruka only shrugged in response. The salty taste from before was even stronger now, a bit bitter too and although he definitely couldn't say that he liked it, it wasn't absolutely disgusting either. He could get used to it.

"Geez, Haru," Makoto sighed and he gently took his chin in his hand and then he softly wiped the release from his skin. "Why didn't you pull away when I told you to?"

Another shrug. "I wanted you to come in my mouth."

"I wanted to prevent coming in your mouth," Makoto explained with another sigh and he threw some of the used tissues away to grab a few other ones, "Anyway, I'm really sorry."

"It's fine," Haruka assured, "I know you didn't do it on purpose. And even if you did, I wouldn't mind."

"You wouldn't?" Makoto questioned, not really knowing if he was bewildered or sceptical.

A tiny, teasing smirk appeared on Haruka's face and he just shrugged again. "If you think that's hot."

His orgasm had left Makoto in a more laid-back and relaxed mood than Haruka expected after his panic from just now. "I can't say that I hate it," he admitted, "but you don't need it to be attractive. You always are." In the meanwhile all of the come had been cleaned off Haruka's face and Makoto cupped his cheeks again and pressed a sweet kiss between his eyebrows. "Absolutely beautiful."

At the sincerity in Makoto's words and in those breathtaking eyes, Haruka couldn't stop his smirk from transforming into a full smile. Although he couldn't say that he particularly cared about the way he looked or what others thought about him, whenever he heard Makoto compliment his appearance his heart swelled with gratefulness and a small sense of pride, being happy about the fact that Makoto found him attractive. In the past he could never say that he was glad about the way he looked simply because it didn't matter to him, but now he was incredibly pleased with his own face because it was the face Makoto was in love with. Not that he was so superficial that he only cared about his looks, but it was most likely the aspect of him that initially captured Makoto's attention. Besides, Makoto was so unbelievably handsome, he deserved to be with someone he considered to be just as beautiful. And luckily for Haruka, Makoto considered him to be that person.

"I love you," Makoto murmured at the exact moment Haruka was thinking the same. But before he had the chance to say it back, Makoto closed the distance between their lips in a tender kiss that contained every single one of his feelings.

Quickly Haruka reciprocated and he wrapped his arms loosely around Makoto's neck, not wanting to pass up the opportunity to kiss him again. Even if he had rather enjoyed having his lips around Makoto's dick to please him with his mouth, he was pretty glad to feel the familiar pressure of Makoto's lips against his again. It was a sensation that he always craved and especially now he yearned to feel the soft wetness of his plush lips kissing him so passionately that he could almost come just from feeling it alone.

Then Makoto's lips were suddenly gone and Haruka opened his eyes in protest and leaned forward to reclaim them to continue the kiss and Makoto chuckled at Haruka's eagerness and happily obliged.

Makoto held the back of his head when he pulled away again, softly stroking his hair and scalp as he pressed his forehead against Haruka's.

"I didn't hurt you when I tugged at your hair, did I?" Makoto asked with genuine concern.

"No," Haruka answered with a shake of his head. Even if it had hurt, there was nothing Makoto could do about it now besides feeling guilty over it. However, there was a part of him that was almost hurting because of Makoto, and he _could_ actually do something about this.

Earlier this morning he had been completely set on taking care of Makoto and pleasuring him, but now that he had fulfilled that resolution he was definitely not against the idea of relieving himself or, even better, Makoto relieving him. It may be a selfish thought, but he had never been the most selfless person, and while Makoto made him want to be more selfless so he could give back to him, he also made him more selfish, because he wanted to have Makoto all to himself. And he was so incredibly lucky, because not only did Makoto give himself entirely, he also accepted him in return.

A knowing smile stretched Makoto's lips and he placed a sweet, chaste kiss on Haruka's mouth, a silent invitation for more and Haruka didn't need to be asked twice. Eagerly he tightened his grip around Makoto's neck to pull their bodies even closer together as he deepened the slow, sensual kiss. Makoto closed his spread legs so Haruka could sit on his lap. When he was seated Haruka wasted no time in wrapping his legs around Makoto's waist and scooting even closer so his dick was pressing against Makoto's abdomen, never breaking their fervent kiss.

Makoto returned Haruka's touch and encircled his waist with one of his arms, and he lovingly caressed Haruka's back with his other hand, the feather-light contact leaving a tingly feeling that made goosebumps erupt on his skin.

A noise of surprise slipped into the kiss when Makoto suddenly cupped Haruka's neck and the small of his back and lowered him onto the bed until his back hit the mattress and the duvet that was drawn back halfway. He didn't let go of him but he ended their kiss to look at Makoto, who was now hovering over him. In his green eyes he read a mixture of confidence, mischief, and desire.

"What are you doing?" Haruka asked with genuine curiosity and a glint of excitement.

"Returning the favour," Makoto sang with the same emotions that were twinkling in his eyes. "If you'd like that."

The amused grin that was on Haruka's face widened at this proposal. "Definitely."

At Haruka's consent Makoto smiled as well before he leaned down to steal a small kiss from Haruka's lips. "Are you comfortable?"

"Wait," Haruka said and he let go of Makoto to push himself in a sitting position. He grabbed the duvet that had been lying beneath him and drew it back further and then he lied down again with his neck supported by the duvet that was serving as a makeshift pillow. "That's better."

"Good," Makoto whispered before he captured Haruka's lips in another loving kiss that was becoming more searing with every passing second.

Haruka ran his hands up Makoto's arms to wrap them around his neck again while he hooked his ankles around his hips. But Makoto seemingly had other plans as he intertwined their fingers and gently pushed his hands down above his head. Another hum of surprise vibrated through Haruka's chest at this unexpected position Makoto had brought them in, but he definitely wasn't complaining. He lightly squeezed Makoto's hands as he tried to pull Makoto's body against his with his legs, rolling his hips in search of friction.

This assertive side of Makoto was one that did not come out often, mainly because it was held back by his insecurities and fear of hurting Haruka. It was not strange, because they were fairly new at all of this so they still had to figure out how everything worked and therefore he preferred to let Haruka set the pace and just follow his lead. Besides that, his fear of hurting Haruka was not an unreasonable one: he was a big guy and possessed some idiotic strength, and with that he could seriously hurt someone if he wanted to. But he didn't want to, he never wanted to, and that was why he was always careful. And therefore, even if his fear was legitimate to some extend, Haruka was glad to notice that he was gradually learning that he could take control while still being gentle.

While he liked having things go his way, he was not opposed to Makoto being the one to pull the strings. In fact, he liked it a lot and he was excited to familiarise himself with this side of Makoto as well.

For a moment Makoto broke their kiss to just look at Haruka. They gazed at each other while panting lightly, unable to look away as they were simply drawn into the endless pools of black that was present instead of the usual blue and green of the other's stunning eyes. But it only lasted for a second as the force that was drawing their lips to each other proved itself to be much stronger and they couldn't help but gravitate to meet the other in a fiery kiss.

Despite the wanton that was clear in their every movement, an infinite amount of unwavering love was being expressed like always. No matter how aroused they may be, lust was never the only driving factor; it were the feelings of affection and devotion that made them yearn for the intimacy in the first place, which then ultimately developed into craving physical and sexual contact.

And right now, Haruka's cock was hard with arousal and his heart was full of love.

One of Makoto's hands let go of his and he lightly trailed his fingers from his wrist to his elbow, making Haruka whimper softly into the kiss from sensitivity. It was strange how regardless of what state they were, Makoto's touches were always so loving and sensual. Then again, it wasn't that strange at all considering his touch was an extension of his warm and kind soul, and Makoto was nothing short of gentle and soft and sweet in every sense of the words.

The sentimental thoughts were soon fading from Haruka's mind when Makoto cupped his dick and stroked him through his boxer briefs. Automatically his free hand sought out Makoto's body again and he nestled his fingers in Makoto's hair, holding the back of his head as their tongues entwined.

"Makoto," he moaned when Makoto pulled away to bury his face in Haruka's neck to nuzzle his skin and pepper it with kisses. Along with the stimulation of his cock it was a little too much for him, and although he always loved to take their sweet time with each other and slowly work towards their climax, right now he was already desiring to orgasm so he wanted Makoto to either cut to the chase or relieve him right now. Especially considering Makoto had already come so he wasn't even able to occupy himself with satisfying Makoto in return and watching him get closer to his height.

Hearing the demand in his voice, Makoto ceased kissing his neck and smiled in understanding before he pressed a long, close-mouthed kiss against Haruka's lips. This gesture was one that was purely filled with love and Haruka hummed softly against his mouth and squeezed Makoto's hand again.

"I love you," Haruka murmured and he couldn't stop himself from leaning up to steal another quick peck from his lips.

Makoto squeezed his hand back and said, "I love you too," and he kissed Haruka's lips one last time before he pulled away completely and sat back on his knees. Haruka's released his hold on Makoto's lower back and let his legs fall beside him.

Their eye-contact remained as Makoto hooked his fingers in Haruka's underwear and slowly pulled it down over his legs. Once he let it fall to the floor he lifted Haruka's right leg and kissed his knee before he looked back at Haruka with the same unspoken questions that had been in his eyes yesterday. And again, all Haruka could do was smile and nod, encouraging him to do whatever he wanted.

Having received the answer he was hoping for, Makoto pressed another kiss to the same spot on his knee before he trailed lower, showering his inner thigh in kisses just like he had mere hours ago. But unlike yesterday, Haruka now knew where it was going, knew what was going to happen next and the thought of it alone made his breath heavier with anticipation.

He was not alone in this, because Makoto's breathing became a little faster too the lower he got and when he reached his mid-thigh he hesitated for a second before quickly continuing.

For the first time since Makoto had started, Haruka felt a bit alarmed. Considering Makoto's eagerness and confidence from before it hadn't actually crossed his mind, but he supposed that it couldn't hurt to ask him.

"Makoto," he called as he pushed himself up on his forearms. When Makoto stopped kissing to look up at him, his eyebrows raised in question, Haruka continued, "You don't have to do it just because I did it for you. If you don't want to or are not comfortable-"

"Haru," Makoto interrupted with a smile and then he pressed another kiss against his smooth skin. "I want to, I'm just…"

"Nervous?" Haruka finished his sentence, a small, knowing smile on his face.

"Nervous," Makoto affirmed, chuckling softly at his own predictability.

Haruka snorted before he reached out his left arm to Makoto in a silent request to hold his hand. Their fingers intertwined and Haruka squeezed his hand lightly. "It's okay; I'm nervous too."

The smile on Makoto's face widened and he sweetly rubbed his cheek against Haruka's leg, his eyes soft and fond.

That endearing sight made another flare of warmth shoot through Haruka's heart. It would honestly not be a surprise if he prematurely experienced heart failure because Makoto always made his heart beat so much faster than it should and bursts of love regularly exploded in his chest. Makoto wasn't even trying, he was just being himself. And Haruka loved him immensely.

His thoughts were drifting off for the umpteenth time that day and he took a deep breath to get himself back on track. "Same as before, stop when you want to. Let's just try it and we'll see what happens, yeah?"

"Yeah," Makoto echoed and he tilted his head to the side in that adorable habit of his.

Unable to stop a tiny smile from appearing on his face, Haruka lied back down entirely on the bed but kept holding onto Makoto's hand. The mere feeling of his larger hand in his was always able to comfort him even when treading paths that they had never taken before. This feeling was entirely mutual, because Makoto's hand always sought out his when he needed reassurance as well.

Makoto resumed kissing and nibbling at the sensitive skin of Haruka's inner thigh, seemingly a lot more relaxed and self-assured than he had been earlier. When he got closer to Haruka's crotch, he tried to lie down on his stomach like Haruka had done too. That was not as easy as it sounded, for Makoto was too tall to lie down entirely on the bed with the current way they were lying. So he had to maneuver himself in a position in which he could lie comfortably without hurting his back or legs.

Eventually he settled with lying on his hip with his legs curled up a bit to the side. To Haruka, it didn't seem to be the most comfortable position he could be in but Makoto apparently felt different as he continued to softly suck on Haruka's skin.

Haruka held his breath and bit his bottom lip to ground himself and prevent himself from making any strangled noises when Makoto turned his head and sucked at the skin at the juncture of his leg and pelvis, his hard dick skimming across Makoto's cheek. At this touch he already had the urge to bring his hand to his mouth to stifle the moans that he was definitely going to make, but he did his best to suppress it. After telling Makoto to not restrict himself and let his voice flow free, it would be unfair of him to hold his own voice back.

Before Makoto put his mouth on his cock, he looked back at Haruka once more. The sight of Haruka's flushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes, lip caught between his teeth in anticipation, gave Makoto all the consent and reassurance he was looking for and it spurred him on. He let go of Haruka's left hand and grabbed his right one instead, his own right hand taking a hold of his erection.

He stroked his hand up and down and Haruka hummed softly in pleasure, which brought another smile to Makoto's face. Then he lowered his head and licked his length slowly, dragging the flat of his tongue from the base up to his slit and Haruka couldn't stop his jaw from dropping with an unexpected gasp. But he didn't have long to regain himself before Makoto closed his mouth around him and began to suck.

Haruka couldn't do anything but grasp at the bedsheets with his free hand, his eyes blown wide and he couldn't hold back his breathy moans even if he had wanted to. Makoto's mouth was so warm and wet and the feeling of his tongue circling around his head was simply indescribable. He had never felt anything like this before, this didn't feel anything like being relieved by hand or even like being penetrated; it wasn't really better or worse than that, it was just really different. Perhaps the closest sensation would be to have anal sex with Makoto bottoming, although he couldn't say that for sure as he had never experienced that before, but this felt a bit similar to what he always imagined that to be like.

Though he didn't have much time to ponder about it, as the ability to think clearly was starting to slip away from him.

Makoto seemed to mimic what he was doing, which not only felt amazing to his dick, but to his pride as well; that could only mean that he had done a good job and Makoto was trying to use what had felt great to him to make Haruka feel the same way. It did seem like it was easier for Makoto, because not only did he have a larger dick than Haruka, he also had a larger mouth. And he knew how to use it, despite his inexperience.

As Makoto established a steady rhythm, Haruka tried to gather himself so he could look at him, wanting to experience the sensation not only by physically feeling it, but also witnessing it. He propped himself up on his elbows once more so he could get a better view of Makoto without straining his neck too much. He almost sank back into the mattress from just seeing Makoto, the sight of it being almost as good as the feeling of it.

It was almost impossible to see his face at first, because it was mainly hidden behind the curtain of his bangs, but as Makoto bobbed his head and changed his angle, Haruka was able to see him better. His eyes were shut in concentration but when he noticed Haruka was looking at him he opened them and met Haruka's gaze. The sight of Makoto's beautiful eyes staring right at him while his dick kept disappearing into Makoto's mouth, his red cheeks hollowed with how hard he was sucking was so erotic that Haruka almost came just from watching him.

His arms were trembling underneath him both from his weight and the sparks of electricity that shot through his body at the mind-blowing situation he currently found himself in. It was difficult to keep himself upright any longer so he let himself fall back onto the bed.

Although the state of his own body recommended him to just lie back and enjoy the waves of pleasure that Makoto was drowning him in, he couldn't suppress the desire to touch Makoto back. The hand that was not holding Makoto's quivered as Haruka reached over to Makoto's face and he caressed Makoto's skin, feeling the shape of his own dick through his cheek.

That touch made Makoto moan softly around him and the vibrations of his voice made Haruka's back arch and tilt his head backwards, coaxing a moan out of him as well. His hand drifted from Makoto's cheek to his hair, his fingers tangling in the thick, olive-brown strands, seeking the leverage and familiarity so he could hold on and make sure he was not completely swept away by the incredible feeling of Makoto's mouth.

Maybe it was because his dick had never been sucked before, but Haruka thought that Makoto was doing an amazing job, especially since this was his first time doing it. Whether it was really Makoto's skill or actually just the fact that he loved Makoto and that in his eyes, everything Makoto did was amazing wasn't exactly clear, but in this moment he was fully convinced that Makoto was incredible at everything he tried his hand at - or mouth, in this case. Not that the reason mattered, fact was that he felt like he was ascending to the heavens by every flick of Makoto's tongue and every bob of his head. He already felt like he was losing his mind right now, and the prospect of getting more accustomed to each other's bodies and what they found pleasurable and use that knowledge to make sex even greater in the future seemed almost fake, for he could not imagine something feeling better than what Makoto was currently doing, how Makoto was making him feel right at this moment. It had to be impossible, because he was already losing every trace of his common sense and if there was somehow a way to increase the satisfaction then he would surely be driven into madness.

"Makoto," he gasped, repeating his name in combination with groans and whimpers in various pitches, ranging from low and guttural to high and breathy. In a reflex he tightened his grip around Makoto's locks and simultaneously squeezed his hand rather harshly. At that Makoto moaned lightly and although it was not out of pain, Haruka released his hand. He wouldn't want to hurt Makoto or accidentally crush his fingers when another shock of pleasure hit him.

Slowly Makoto's pace was starting to falter and Haruka assumed it was because his jaw was getting tired or his neck was getting sore. He was about to tell him that he could stop if he wanted but then he realised that he was trying to relax his throat and took him a tiny bit deeper with every bob of his head. His dick was not quite hitting the back of his throat yet nor was his nose buried in his pubic hair, but he was able to fit the majority in his mouth and his breath was tickling his pubic hair with the soft way he was panting around him. All in all, he was doing his best and it was more than good enough for Haruka; he couldn't do anything but grasp and clutch at the sheet beneath him because the heat and suction of Makoto's mouth was already too much to handle as it was.

Still, it didn't seem like Makoto would stop trying soon. Just like Haruka, if he was determined to do something, then he would do everything in his might to at least give it his best shot. Even if Haruka was fine now, the feeling of being choked was not a pleasant one regardless of how briefly it lasted, and he didn't want Makoto to experience the same thing unnecessarily. But he did really appreciate the effort and thought Makoto put into returning the favour, although he didn't have to take it quite so literally.

Haruka loosened his hold on the strands between his fingers and ran his hand through his hair instead to gather his attention. Makoto halted and looked up at Haruka in question and Haruka did his best to wordlessly convey what he was thinking. Along with droplets of sweat Haruka brushed Makoto's fringe out of his face, completely removing the small barrier that had been between their gazes. For a moment it felt like time was frozen as they stared at each other, but then Makoto's lips curled into a smile for as much as that was possible and it was enough to tell Haruka that he understood.

It didn't take long for him to fall back into his rhythm, altering from bobbing his head to sucking and licking the tip exclusively accompanied by his hand rubbing his shaft in sync. Haruka's muscles were beginning to convulse and Haruka knew he was nearing his climax. It was a bit conflicting, because he wanted this moment to last forever but he also wanted to orgasm and kiss and cuddle with Makoto. There was absolutely nothing he could do; right now, Makoto was the one who was completely in charge and Haruka had surrendered himself to him, so Makoto was the one who chose when this would end. But Haruka was glad about that, for once he liked having no control over a situation mainly because he would not have been able to make a decision either way, not with the fog that had taken over his brain.

His toned abdomen was starting to tense and his thighs were spasming and trembling with the shocks of his oncoming orgasm. Makoto noticed that he was at the edge and in order to push him over it completely, his left hand cupped his sac and played with his balls. Haruka couldn't stop himself from wrapping his thighs around Makoto's neck, his heels digging into his back but he was too far gone to notice.

"Makoto," he moaned over and over like it was a mantra. A series of incoherent rambles slipped in-between the groans of his name as his right hand joined the left on Makoto's head, holding onto his hair for dear life as his ability to form sentences was blown away entirely by the intensity of the pleasure.

Although it had been difficult before, it was now practically impossible to stop himself from thrusting up into Makoto's mouth. He did everything within his might to repress this urge, because he still didn't want to suffocate Makoto, especially since he was pleasing him so lovingly. It was odd because before he met Makoto, "lovingly" was not the first word that popped into his mind when thinking of a blow job, but he simply couldn't describe it any other way, except for astonishingly amazing, maybe. But it wasn't odd, because this was Makoto and Makoto always handled him with utmost care and affection, regardless of what he was doing. It was no different now, because he could feel Makoto's love burning in every fiber of his being.

He wanted to tell him how good he felt, how close he was, how much he loved him. Nothing but moans and whimpers left his lips though, because he had forgotten how to speak any word that was not Makoto's name.

The noises that floated through the room were only adding to the ambience and experience, from Makoto's moans and heavy breathing to the slurping sounds of his mouth as he sucked, all of it was making Haruka's head light and along with the bolts of gratification that Makoto was subjecting him to made him feel like his soul was leaving his body and ascending to the upper planes.

Then he suddenly felt something sharp against the underside of his dick and by the time he realised what it was, it was gone. Simultaneously Makoto and he gasped in surprise and Makoto pulled his mouth off him, a string of apologies spilling from his mouth.

"I'm so sorry!"

In his eagerness to push Haruka over the edge, Makoto's bottom teeth accidentally skimmed against his sensitive skin and he was afraid that he had hurt his lover.

"It's fine, it's fine," Haruka brushed off quickly, "Please, Makoto. I'm so… close." He was so hard that it hurt and he had never wanted to come so badly in his life. He needed Makoto's mouth, his hand, anything that would finally relieve him.

"Oh! Sorry," Makoto mumbled and he quickly wrapped his lips around his tip again and resumed sucking and bobbing his head, being a lot more mindful of his teeth than he had been before.

It only took a moment until Haruka was panting and writhing in pleasure again. His heels were digging so harshly into the planes of Makoto's back that it should probably hurt, but it only seemed to encourage him even more.

The heat that was coiling in his lower abdomen was increasing intensity and he could practically feel his eyes starting to roll backwards in his head. Although the desire for his orgasm had been big even before Makoto began, he tried his best to stall it for as long as he could because he had not given Makoto a sign yet.

"Makoto," he groaned in that distinctive tone that always indicated that he was about to reach his climax. "Makoto, I'm co-"

Unable to hold himself back any longer, he came before he could finish his sentence. Sparks of white flashed before his eyes as his back arched and his toes curled as he came into Makoto's mouth, who did his best to keep stroking and sucking him off to work him through his orgasm entirely.

With a content and satisfied hum Haruka's soul returned to his body and he opened his eyes. One of his hands let go of Makoto's hair so he could lean up and look at him while he tried to regulate his breathing into a normal rhythm again. His eyes focused again just in time to see Makoto pull his mouth off of him, trails of stray saliva mixed with semen spilling from his closed lips.

When he remembered that he had released inside Makoto's mouth, he wanted to get up to grab some tissues so he could spit it out but then he saw Makoto's adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly.

"You swallowed it?" Haruka asked even though he already knew the answer. When Makoto nodded he let out another groan as a spike of heat shot through his softening cock. "You are such a hypocrite," he sighed fondly and he reached out to wipe the fluids off his chin. Then he wiped his own hand on the sheets beneath him, realising that he was actually too lazy to get up and grab a tissue. He had already planned to wash and change the sheets anyway.

Makoto didn't respond to his loving accusation, just coughed lightly before he smiled and pressed a kiss to Haruka's left thigh, that was still quivering a bit with the after waves of pleasure. Haruka couldn't stop himself from smiling back at him and he let his legs fall off Makoto's shoulders and beside him as he reached out to him again. After all that time that Makoto's body seemed so far away, he didn't want to waste another second before he got to bury his face in that broad chest of his again. Makoto seemingly got the message because he pushed himself up and hovered over Haruka again so he could lie down beside him. But before he had the chance to actually lie down, Haruka pulled him down into a kiss.

It startled Makoto who, even though he had done it too, had probably not expected Haruka to kiss him right then. But as with most things, Haruka couldn't care less about where his mouth had been or what had been inside it. All he wanted was to feel his lips again and Makoto practically melted in his arms, their bare, sweaty skin rubbing against each other in a way that he couldn't describe as anything but perfect.

Haruka licked at Makoto's lips in an attempt to deepen the kiss and Makoto brushed his fingers through his already tousled hair as he opened his mouth to meet him halfway. The taste of semen was still tangy on Makoto's tongue, but Haruka was unbothered by this and simply revelled in the feeling of finally kissing his lover again.

When they got a little short-breathed Makoto broke their kiss so they could share some quick and short ones instead, and eventually he placed a final chaste kiss on his lips before he turned to lie beside him. Despite the weariness in all of his muscles, Haruka turned to lie on his side as well and he nuzzled Makoto's pectoral, wrapping his arm around his waist to hold him close as he breathed in the scent of Makoto's sweat, that was indescribably comforting. Makoto hugged him even closer to himself, softly stroking his back and he buried his face in Haruka's tousled locks, pressing little kisses against his hair and scalp.

In silence they laid together, naked and spent, at their most vulnerable, but Haruka felt nothing but warmth and safety. Regardless of what state they were in, if he was inside Makoto's arms then he didn't feel anything but unconditional love and support, security and protection from the world around them. Makoto was his safe haven, his home, his everything.

Another content sigh escaped Haruka's lips and he closed his eyes, kissing the skin beneath his lips before he turned his head to place his ear over Makoto's heart. The steady beating of his strong heart against his ribcage was incredibly soothing and he knew that for as long as it kept beating, he would be happy. Happier than he'd ever be.

Makoto slowly ran his fingers through Haruka's messy locks, gently massaging his scalp with his fingertips. Wanting to feel even more of his skin, Makoto threw his calf over Haruka's and even though his legs were tired, Haruka did his best to tangle them with Makoto's so he could rub their feet together. When he pushed his knee between Makoto's, his thigh accidentally brushed Makoto's cock once more. He hadn't noticed it before, but now he felt that Makoto was a bit hard again. It wasn't a full-blown erection, but he definitely wasn't completely limp either.

Breaking the silence, Haruka murmured almost inaudibly, "Makoto, you-"

"Leave it," Makoto interrupted softly, knowing what he was referring to, "I don't think I could come again even if I wanted to. Right now, I just want to hold you close."

"Okay," Haruka simply said and he rubbed his face against Makoto's chest. He always enjoyed watching Makoto come undone, so he'd never object to seeing it again, but admittedly, he was still a bit lazy from his orgasm and cuddling definitely seemed like the most appealing option. And even if he hadn't said it with those exact words, Haruka knew that Makoto shared this feeling entirely.

His fingertips were playing with the hairs at Haruka's nape now and it tickled a bit, making him reflexively tilt his head backwards a bit. Makoto didn't pass up on this opportunity and pressed his lips against his forehead in a tender kiss. "I love you so much," he sighed against his fringe, "You know that, right?"

For the umpteeth time that morning Haruka couldn't stop his lips from breaking out into a smile. "Not as much as I love you," he teasingly said back, although he did really mean it.

"You clearly have no idea just how much I truly love you," Makoto argued with a chuckle, being fully convinced that Haruka was wrong and that he was the one who held the most amount of love in his heart for the other.

"Oh, but I do," Haruka answered playfully and before Makoto could respond he locked their lips together again, silencing him while also trying to show him that he was right. It wasn't that he didn't believe Makoto loved him, because he could feel it with his every look, his every kiss, his every touch, but he loved him so incredibly much that it had to be impossible for Makoto to love him just as much. If Makoto could love him only a fraction of how much he loved Makoto, then he would be eternally happy. Little did he know that Makoto did love him just as much and the love they shared was not only infinite, but also eternal.

Eventually Haruka pulled away again, kissing his lips one more time before he rested back against the bed, placing his head on top of Makoto's bicep. "So, any thoughts?" he questioned and when Makoto looked at him in bewilderment he elaborated, "Likes or dislikes?"

"Oh," Makoto mumbled when he understood what Haruka meant, what he had asked him before. "Well," he started and he continued to card his fingers through Haruka's hair, "What I didn't like was that I wasn't able to kiss you during it." He paused for a second to smile and steal a tiny kiss from Haruka's lips. "What I did like was everything else."

An amused grin appeared on Haruka's face. "Is this about receiving or giving?"

"Both."

Haruka laughed lightly at that statement, simply being unable to contain it. "Me too." Save for the choking part then, but that was not necessarily part of giving head and he would work on that.

For another moment they were silent, simply content to linger in the bliss of their intimacy. But then Haruka remembered that there was something else he wanted to talk about with Makoto and although voicing his thoughts was always hard for him, he decided that it was best if he did it right away so he couldn't keep procrastinating it until it would ultimately be forgotten. And he didn't want to be like this, he wanted to be able to talk with Makoto about anything without feeling a bit bashful or hesitant, for he couldn't expect Makoto to be open and honest with him if he wasn't open and honest with Makoto either.

"Hey, Makoto?" he muttered after a while. Despite his determination, he couldn't help the hesitance that slipped into his voice. At the sound of his name, Makoto's eyes met his in a gaze that was encouraging and understanding, yet still as patient as he always was with him. Even though the thoughts were all clear in his head, knowing exactly what he wanted to convey to Makoto, he had a bit of trouble with putting it into coherent sentences. "You know," he started and he licked his lips, "Whenever we have sex, I'm usually the one who's initiating it."

"That's not because I don't want you! Haru, I-" Makoto immediately stuttered, but Haruka just shook his head and ran his fingers through Makoto's hair to calm him.

"I know that. That's not the point," he said, "The point is that you don't tell me. Whenever I ask you to do something you do it without complaint, but you don't ask me anything in return. When I propose to do something for you then your immediate response is "you don't have to do that"."

"That's because," Makoto sighed and averted his eyes, seemingly having trouble to speak his mind as well, "I don't want to be greedy or needy."

The root of the problem appeared to reside deeper inside Makoto than he initially expected. He cradled Makoto's face in his hands so he had to look at him, wanting to be sure that every word he was about to say would fully get through to him. "Makoto, wanting me is not a bad thing. On the contrary, the fact that you want me makes me really happy, but I won't know what you want if you don't tell me and I can't do what you want if you don't ask me."

"I know that but I… I don't want you to feel obligated to do something just because I want you to. I want you to only do stuff you're completely comfortable with and only when you want to do it."

"Do you feel obligated to do anything when I initiate it?" Haruka was seriously trying to find the problem so he could solve it. Consent had always been a thing for Makoto and although he really appreciated that he was so careful and considerate, Haruka didn't know why Makoto was so held back by it when he had never said or done anything that indicated that he didn't consent to something they did.

"No, but…" The rest of his sentence didn't follow, probably because he realised that he had no valid argument.

"Then why do you think that I would feel obligated to do something?" Haruka asked, and he smiled reassuringly at his unsure lover. "Believe me, if I don't want something I will tell you. But in order to do that you need to start telling me what you want. If you want to touch me, tell me. If you want me to touch you, then say so." He snorted lightly before he stated with a smile, "If you want me to go down on you, then tell me because I won't be able to fulfill your desires if you don't tell me what they are."

The timid expression on Makoto's face made place for an understanding smile. "Alright, I will try my best."

"Good," Haruka said and he brushed his lips over Makoto's in a long, chaste kiss. "Speaking of which," he continued when their kiss ended, "It works the other way around too. If I initiate something and you're not in the mood or whatever, then you have to tell me too. Don't go along with it just because I want to, because I want you to fully consent to it too. I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with either just because I want to."

"Of course," Makoto promised, "Why did you think that I…?"

"Because you've never turned me down before. When I propose something, you always go along with it so I thought that maybe you were doing it just to please me."

"It's true that I've never turned you down before, but that's because you've never proposed something that I didn't want before," Makoto easily stated, and that did make sense.

"That's good, but if I propose something in the future that you don't want, then you'll tell me, right?"

In response Makoto held out his pinky to him.

"What?" Haruka questioned, not really knowing what Makoto was doing or what he meant with the gesture.

"It's a pinky promise," Makoto explained, and although Haruka had never made a promise like that before, the term was familiar. "The twins always make me do it when I promise them something. You link your fingers together, say a chant and if you break the promise, your pinky will be cut off."

Haruka snorted. "That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Makoto chuckled, "It is but it's not like that will actually happen even if you do break the promise. It's just a chant. But if you don't like it, then you can make up your own thing to say."

"Then…" Haruka mumbled as he thought and he linked his pinky with Makoto's, "We promise to tell each other what we want and consider each other's suggestions, but if we turn each other down for whatever reason, then that's fine and we'll accept and respect that without question."

It was probably not exactly what a typical pinky promise was like, but Makoto didn't seem to mind as he just smiled and he shook their hands while Haruka spoke. When Haruka finished his sentence Makoto closed the distance between their lips, to seal their promise even more.

When their lips parted and they opened their eyes, Makoto unlinked their fingers and cradled Haruka's face instead, caressing Haruka's cheek before he ran his thumb over his mouth. The feather-light touch made his lips tingle and he kissed the pad of Makoto's thumb. That tiny token of affection made Makoto sigh fondly as his smile widened. His thumb lingered in the corner of his mouth and he leaned forward to steal another kiss from his lips, but Haruka wasn't about to let him leave with just a quick kiss and captured Makoto's in one that was full of yearning and tenderness. Haruka trailed his hand over Makoto's side, slowly stroking down over his ribs. When he reached his hip he stopped and massaged gentle circles over his smooth skin, making Makoto hum in contentment.

Once their kiss ended Makoto leaned his forehead against Haruka's, his hand slipping from his cheek to his neck, cupping it while his fingers played with his hair.

"There is actually something that I want right now," Makoto murmured while he twirled a lock of Haruka's hair around his index finger.

Haruka rubbed his hand over Makoto's body again, up his abs over his torso, resting his hand over Makoto's pectoral. "What is it?"

"A bath."

Haruka snorted at his unexpected yet still predictable answer. "Me too," he said and he turned to lie on his back, "but my legs feel like jelly."

"We can solve that problem," Makoto replied with a chuckle and he pushed himself up on his side and pressed another kiss against Haruka's forehead before he got up entirely. When he was standing beside the bed he wound one of his arms around Haruka's back and he put the other one under his knees, easily lifting him up and holding him against his body. "Here you go, my prince," he teased.

In response Haruka wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck and placed a kiss of gratitude on his cheek. Then he rested his head on Makoto's shoulder and allowed him to carry him to the bathroom bridal-style.

A little while later they were sitting in the bathtub together after having brushed their teeth and washed their faces and bodies. The water was hot, much hotter than it usually was when Haruka took a bath, but he definitely wasn't complaining; the hot water soothed his sore and tired muscles and he sighed in comfort as he leaned back against Makoto's chest.

This was the first time Makoto and he were in a tub together and it was absolutely perfect in Haruka's opinion: he loved the water and he loved cuddling with Makoto, so putting the two together was a match made in heaven. Although they had swum together before, there was just something about taking a bath together that was so intimate and romantic and Haruka was completely in his element. If time could stand still and allow this moment to last forever, then Haruka would enjoy every bit of eternity.

Makoto's arms were wrapped around his waist, his large hands a reassuring weight on his toned abdomen and Haruka's head was resting against Makoto's collarbone, his eyes closed in contentment and serenity. Makoto was pressing tiny kisses against the side of his head and Haruka put his hands over his on his belly.

Whenever he thought that he simply couldn't feel any more in love and happy, somehow Makoto always managed to top it, like there was no limit to the amount of happiness and love he could feel. But at this very moment he was happier than he had ever been and he just had to have reached the limit, because his heart was already about to burst and he couldn't imagine a single thing that would make him even happier than being snuggled up together with Makoto in the warm water in the comfort and safety of his bathroom.

A soft smile was present on his features and he tilted his head to the right to grant Makoto easier access to his skin. Makoto didn't pass up the opportunity and continued to drop sweet kisses on his neck and down his shoulder and Haruka basked in the attention he was receiving. When Makoto pressed the last kiss of his series at the end of his shoulder, Haruka turned his face towards Makoto again and pouted his lips in a silent request for a kiss on his mouth, wanting to see if Makoto would notice. Of course, Makoto never failed him and he chuckled softly before he touched Haruka's pouty lips with his own and he tightened his arms around him ever so slightly.

Haruka opened his eyes when Makoto pulled away and he gazed into the vibrant green that was now visible again. But he didn't have long to admire Makoto's eyes before they closed and his own naturally fell shut again and automatically met Makoto's wet lips in a simple yet loving kiss. One of his hands drifted to Makoto's thigh and he caressed his skin as they kissed. In response Makoto removed his left hand and cupped Haruka's face with it while his other hand sought out Haruka's and he intertwined their fingers over his stomach.

When their lips parted their faces stayed close as Makoto nuzzled their noses together. It was such a cute thing to do, so typically him that Haruka should be used to this by now, yet his belly was starting to tingle again with fondness, right beneath their joined hands. He couldn't stop himself from wanting to kiss him again and so he pressed his lips against the first part of him that was within reach, which happened to be his bottom lip and the skin underneath it.

Eventually his neck was beginning to hurt from the way he was bending it, so with a final peck he turned back and slid further into the water until only his neck and head were out of the water, relaxing even further against Makoto's chest. Makoto kissed his crown before he placed his chin on top of his head, all the while making sure that the pressure didn't hurt him. He put his feet flat against the bottom of the tub so his knees were poking out of the water.

The silence lingered but they didn't mind. In fact, they didn't need any words for they were simply enjoying the cozy ambience and the intimate moment, the contact of their skin making them feel warm and secure.

There was nothing that was on Haruka's mind right then except for love and Makoto. Synonyms, he had come to conclude. He loved Makoto more than anything and wherever Makoto was, there was love. It was everywhere around him and everything he did was filled with it. He probably didn't even notice it himself, it was just who he was. Almost like he was the embodiment of it, for loving just came so natural to him and not a day went by when Haruka didn't realise how lucky he was that Makoto wanted to share his love with him, that he gave so much to him without expecting anything in return. That was exactly why Haruka wanted to give back to him, so that he was not only the one who loved, but also the one who was being loved. Even if there was not a fiber in Haruka's being that didn't love Makoto, he was not as skilled as expressing his feelings and he wanted to get better at that. To spoil Makoto and show him just how much he loved him for every day for the rest of their lives.

He ceased caressing Makoto's leg and he began to walk up to his knee with his index and middle finger. Makoto chuckled breathily at the somewhat ticklish touch but he didn't stop him. When his fingers had reached the top of the hill he halted and put his palm over Makoto's cool knee instead.

"Shall I make pancakes for breakfast?" Haruka asked, breaking the peaceful silence. "Brunch," he corrected with a snort.

"You don't have to do that," was Makoto's first reaction, "You can just grill some mackerel."

"Wow," Haruka sighed, shaking his head in disapproval, before tilting it backwards to look at him as he spoke, "It hasn't even been an hour and you already broke our promise. You're lucky I changed the chant otherwise you would have lost your pinky."

Makoto frowned in what seemed to be confusion and ran down their conversations in his mind as Haruka playfully nudged his pinky finger with his own. Being unable to find the answers in a few seconds, Haruka decided to help him out and explain what he meant.

"I never specified that our promise was strictly in sexual terms. I meant it in every situation. And you obviously don't want to have mackerel for breakfast- brunch."

His mouth fell open with a surprised gasp before he laughed lightly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Haruka smiled at him, a full, wide, joyous smile. He pushed himself upright and turned his back so he could face Makoto better. The hand that was on his knee came up to Makoto's shoulder, gently stroking his neck with his fingers. "Let me spoil you for once."

The request was so sincere and genuine that Makoto just had to smile back at him, his lips stretching in that fond smile that he only ever showed to Haruka. "In that case…" Makoto teasingly said and Haruka smirked as he prepared himself for whatever he was going to demand, "Do you have chocolate chips?"

Haruka snorted at this outrageously selfish inquiry and thought about it for a second. "You know what? I think I do."

"Great!" Makoto giggled and he pushed his wet fringe out of his face with his hand, "I'll be looking forward to that, then."

Makoto's words didn't completely register because Haruka was distracted by him pushing his hair back and completely unveiling his face, his beautiful, beautiful face. It was at that exact moment that he realised that he had never actually told Makoto how gorgeous he thought he was.

"You're so beautiful."

"Eh?" Makoto questioned in bewilderment, his hand dropping from his head and onto the ledge of the tub, causing his fringe to fall back in place. "I think that should be my line."

"No, it's mine," Haruka said with a shake of his head and he brushed Makoto's hair out of his face again so he could look at his face entirely, "You're so beautiful, Makoto. So incredibly beautiful."

From the very first moment he saw him, he had already thought that Makoto was extraordinarily good-looking and it was as if he got more and more attractive with every passing second. When he thought about it, that wasn't weird at all. At first he just saw his breathtaking eyes, that cute nose, those inviting lips and the rest of his handsome face and a little while later he gradually discovered that body of his that was just chiseled by the Gods. But that was not just it, because Makoto was beautiful both inside and out, and it was his kindness that shone through that made him even more stunning than he already was. It was all of that that made Makoto the most beautiful person Haruka had ever seen or met.

Although the compliments rolled off Makoto's tongue with practiced ease, receiving them was something that he was not entirely used to. He looked startled and taken aback by Haruka's words, if not even a bit bashful and that told Haruka that he should try to get better at speaking his mind because Makoto deserved to be used to getting compliments.

"You are so incredibly beautiful and I love you so much."

The seriousness in Haruka's voice and eyes Makoto's jaw dropped a bit before he bit his bottom lip and snorted as he tried to suppress a large smile. His minty breath ghosted over Haruka's face and he mumbled, "Idiot," giving him the same response that he always got when he complimented him. "I love you too."

Haruka smiled back at him and wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck to pull him into a kiss. Makoto was still smiling widely against his mouth but he tried his best to kiss him back, never wanting to pass up an opportunity to lock their lips. The fresh flavour of toothpaste was prominent in the kiss but it tasted mainly like love and passion, that was always present in every single kiss they shared.

Eventually Haruka pulled away again and wordlessly leaned back against Makoto's chest again, relaxing as he sunk further into the water. He tilted his head back so he could look at Makoto's face and Makoto brushed his damp bangs away and kissed his forehead. Haruka smiled for what was not the first and would definitely not be the last time that day and he closed his eyes once more as Makoto's left arm wound itself around his chest and held his body against his.

Another content sigh slipped past his lips. Later on he would make chocolate-chip pancakes for Makoto and he was already looking forward to seeing the sheer delight on Makoto's face when he took the first bite. Together they would enjoy eating them, and even though Haruka was not that fond of chocolate, he knew that seeing how much Makoto loved them would make them taste much better to him as well.

But for now, he simply enjoyed being enveloped by the water with Makoto, to feel Makoto's skin against his own in the gentle embrace of his safe haven, in the peaceful tranquility of his bathroom.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**To be quite honest, at first I was pretty embarrassed to write this chapter because I've never written smut of this type before and I'm not really confident in my smut-writing abilities in general, so I definitely hope that you enjoyed it. There are a whole bunch of references to previous chapters spread throughout this chapter and I'm curious to see if anyone will get them.**

**At a certain point when I was writing this chapter, I burst out in laughter because I had a (in my opinion) funny pun and I wasn't sure if I should put it into the fic or not. It was in the sentence where Haru said: "Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to do that right now,". When I was writing this fic, in my head the sentence was: "Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to ride now,". I cracked up about that for about half an hour and I was seriously doubting whether or not I should put it in the fic, but ultimately decided against it because I want to keep this fic at least semi-serious. But I still wanted to share it with you just in case someone else finds it funny too, so here you go.**

**I'm not going to lie; it's probably going to take a long while until the next chapter comes out because I have to juggle multiple fics and projects at once and honestly, I can't juggle at all. I'm already really sorry for this and I hope you can forgive me. No matter how long it takes, this fic will be updated again and I hope that in the end, it will be worth the wait.**

**Thank you so much for reading and if you liked it, please consider leaving a review, because they truly mean the world to me and motivate me to at least try to write a bit faster.**

**I hope you have a wonderful day and hopefully I'll see you again in the future! ^^**


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